Hello fans of THE L WORD!
L-word.com went online in December 2002 – before The L Word ever hit our TV screens. For the past 7+ years, we have been honored to be the biggest, best archive of fan fiction for The L Word. We are home to over 1240 writers who have written over 30,000 stories or chapters of stories! Additionally, our forum is home to thousands of women who found a fun, welcoming community here at L-word.com over the years.
Since the show went off the air, the site has gotten quieter, of course. However, those of us who love our L Word fan fic and the community here have every hope of giving the site a new shot in the arm, especially as The L Word reality show is getting ready to hit the air.
In breathing new life to the site, and especially fan fiction, I am absolutely thrilled to let you know that some of your all time favorite writers are on board will be working with me to re-launch L-word.com. Seahurst, Allyemmerson, Jobadge, Steph8373, JWET, and Gumby.
These authors are volunteering their time to help not only keep this wonderful archive alive, but to give it a whole new life. Here are the plans:
Fan Fiction :
- Award icons to return — You will be able to find your favorite award winners easily!
- Stars will be removed – We find that the stars get abused and it is disturbing to the writers, so we will be removing the voting/stars icon.
- Round-robin story — These six authors were so excited to be a part of the re launch that they challenged each other to participate in a round robin story! With Allyemerson at the helm creating the storyline they will all be contributing to the story before handing it off to other willing authors. So, put your fan fiction hat on and get ready to jump into the fray and take your turn helping Bette and Tina and the gang as they try to live through a 100 year snowstorm, strangers at their doorstep, and ghost sightings!!
- Author’s Favorites – A spot-lighted author will be featured each month, selected by this team of writers, who will explain why they chose who they chose. They will create an author by the name of Author’s Favorite where the authors will, with the permission of the author, edit and re-post their story one chapter at a time, one chapter a day to keep the interest up.
- Some of the writers will become fan fiction moderators
- WE WILL BE BRINGING BACK THE FAN FICTION AWARDS!!! More info on that coming in the upcoming weeks.
Forums:
- Reorganize categories – we will be reorganizing the forums in the upcoming weeks/ months.
- The writers will help moderate the forums to help foster a welcoming, creative environment like we had for a long time on this site. It is most important to us to nurture new and “old” fan fiction writers – and regular fans of the show, as well.
Site:
- We are working on a new design for www.l-word.com and www.l-word.com/index.php to reflect the new life, energy, and direction the site is taking. Keep an eye out for it!
A whole bunch of folks have been holding down the fort for quite some time, including: Chicki, Dani F., Belena, darkhawkdown1, Kace, and caitlin-jayne. I can’t begin to thank all these folks enough for their dedication and time to this site. They have been with us from the time when the show was still on the air until now. Some have already moved on, but they have each been great contributors to the site, and I want to thank them very much for their efforts!
And now we begin the “post L-word” era! We hope you will enjoy the efforts of this team who has put together this plan to re-energize the site, inspire the writers, and make the fan fiction readers very happy! We hope you will find the forums a place for engaging conversation and terrific support for those who need it. Please join us in the re-launch of L-word.com!
Jacky
L-word.com Publisher
This is GREAT news. So great to have these authors back with us, I’ve missed them. But let’s not lose Chicki and the others, we love them just as much. Thanks for sharing the news.
I’m actually really excited to read this! And the awards coming back, that’s so cool! Yay, bring on the re-launch! :)
This is an awesome news! Thank you very much !!!! :) I enjoy being on the site even more than watching the show! :o)
this is awesome!! I’m really exited too and can’t wait for this new L-word era!!
So happy that some of my all time faves are coming back, bigger and badder than ever! I still enjoy reading fic from the site now but the more the merrier especially that group that was mentioned.
I just wanted to pop in to say hello again and a few other things.
We are all very excited at the new plans for the site and its been a wonderful experience to have the respectful and constructive conversations we have had about the site that we all love. Its going to be a great time and we hope that we get as many of you as possible on board for the ride. Everyone is welcome.
i have a lot of chapters to post and the round robin story is just a hoot.
The one person who will not be here for the first couple of exciting days will be Jo who is going into hospital tomorrow morning. i am not the only person who loves Jo dearly ( despite all the names she’s been known to call me ) and i know that everyone on the site will wish her well and hope that she is back writing great stuff real soon – good luck mate x
Exciting times ahead – bring it on!!
I’m excited! I hope more authors will begin writing again with this relaunch. I can already feel the energy. Thanks guys!
Thanks to everyone for all youre hard work, i really love this site and all the fanfic storys,so a really Big thank you from me.
Oh my GOD!!! I am soooo happy, this is the best news ever and I am looking forward to whatever is coming.
See the pioneers back is just incredible. I really missed them.
Hopefully with those who kept the boat in the midtime (Thank you to all the writers), the site would be back to life in no time
Grrrrrreat news! Way to go L word. com!
I am to stoked that my favorite authors are coming back: allyemmerson jobadge, just to name a few.
WooooooooooooooooooHooooooooooooo,
time to celebrate. Beers on me.
Wonderful news and thanks to all–not just for keeping the site alive but for trying to make it even better.
Definitely excited for a re-launch, although I’ll be entirely honest in saying I’m not exactly sure how sure that will go, what with these older stories and such. I’m sure I’ll hear more about it.
I just know that I love to write, and wherever this site is, I’ll be. Thanks so much to everyone for all of their hard work. I know it’s not easy to keep a site up and running, so thank you!
Oh dear God!
I’ve been chanting “read or die” to myself in the months since I found this site.
I’ll never be done.
OK!
Wow great news so Happy dat sum of the old writers r coming back. I love this site n wudn’t know wat to do if it ever closed down so I am very excited:) I am from a Asian background where being lesbian is a taboo, if stories tackle dat it wud be great.
Wow! This is great! Thank you all so much for putting so much effort into this. I love this site!
Awsome! Thanks to all of you members of the l-word.com staff and of course all the writers and readers, without you guys this amazing site wouldn´t have stayed for so long. Certainly these are great news, thank you thank you thank you!
Great news !!! and I also want to thank all that have kept this site alive for so many years!!.
And it is great news that there is so much more to come .
If you need any more pair of hands let me know I would love to volunteer my time.
OMG!!! – I’m really excited, I’m a big fan of all these authors – This is such an amazing site, thanks for keeping it alive.
so what does this mean? that the writers that have been here keeping it going are just gonna be pushed aside cuz some of those that jumped ship have desided to come back? that stinks if they leave now after staying here and posting their stories while the so called favorite ones left and now want to come back.
I am looking forward to what ever you all come up with. I have been reading and enjoying the site ever since I discovered it sometime during the first season. I have enjoyed the newer authors and look forward to some of my old favorites returning.
I think that you all have kept it fresh all along and I am rarely bored when I visit the site.
thanks again
Paula53
I think this is fantastic. No one is being pushed aside, Buggs–why would you think that? I’m not sure what you mean when you say writers have jumped ship–we all have lives and work that takes up a lot of our time. The fact that some of them are returning to help Jacky pull up the readership, is fantastic and shows a lot of loyalty. Everyone can contribute to the site as a writer or just to post in the new forums. (Or make comments–and everyone knows I am a comment-addict, LOL!) Personally, I’m really happy that effort has been made to get some of the ‘oldies” back to write for the site–its very exciting. And I have every intention of continuing to write here.
Kudos to Jacky and the six of the best!
Lin
yes i know people have busy lives but didn’t stop the top 6 posting on another site and not here. why is that?
I rarely agree with Buggs…LOL…but I have to agree…they’ve posted elsewhere and have used that forum to verbally “bash” this site, that I love. I’ve seen it with my own eyes. Just saying….
Hiya — yes, there have been frustrations with the site from many sources. Much of it was deserved criticism that I’ve listened to and responded to. We need to pay more attention to fan fic and do more to inspire writers, for instance. Hence, these changes. We value ALL the writers. Absolutely no one is being ignored or pushed aside…we’re just trying to make this a comfortable, creative place that is the welcoming “home” it once was to so many. #1 to me — to keep this fan fic archive alive …and growing. The L Word staked a claim in television and lesbian history, and this fan fic archive is a piece of that. The writers deserve the stories to be online forever…and a readership to follow them. That’s the beginning and end of the story. I want to keep this site and archive going, and to do that, we needed some new ideas and energy. EVERYONE is not only welcomed, but encouraged to participate. I think it is *amazing* that even with the show off the air for over a year, that there is an interest and desire to work on this community and keep it going. This is fabulous! Let’s embrace it!
This is amazing…I love this site so much, and I have appreciated all of your stories endlessly…but sometimes I feel like I might log on and the site will be gone. I’ve recently been writting and I love it, but I came to the show and the site past their prime and I feel like I’m always playing catch up…I’ve read all of the forum winners but it’s hard to find the really great stories. Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, for attempting to revitalize the site. I look forward to more great fan fic and I hope I can be part of a new and better site!!!
I commend you all for being willing to keep this site going. I think a lot of people find joy in coming to this site, and it would be sad to see it go. Good luck and I look forward to all of the great writing!!!
I hope this is an opportune time to suggest something I had mentioned a while ago. The archive of stories is amazing, but wading through it can be daunting to a newer reader. If anyone has any ideas about how to draw attention to the gems in that archive, it will be great for everyone. My only idea so far is to create a “golden oldie” type award for stories from the archive.
I’ve been a loyal reader and supporter since Season 1. I look forward to whatever improvements may come. I’m so grateful for keeping The L Word alive. Good luck and I look forward to the awards and of course great stories!
Glad you guys are back! For the record though, we have not been missing out on great fan fiction in your absence….your message kind of implied that….I probably just read too much into it.
Again thanks for all you have done and will continue to do for this website
I am one of the writers who has criticised the site elsewhere – i don’t deny it .l if anyone thinks i said mean things elsewhere they were nothing compared to what all of us said to Jacky. Its like slagging off a past girlfriend who you are still in love with. Jacky has been very receptive to our comments and the changes are ones that are much needed. This is not a whim on Jacky’s part or any of the other of us. This is the end result of long discussion with only one aim – to get the site back to robust health.
i fully understand the criticism but maybe if you just hang around you will see that we are about to start a very exciting chapter in lword.com history !
Hmmm, I have continued to read and to enjoy all the new writers so I wouldn’t want them to get the impression that their efforts haven’t been noticed and I have continued to encourage all the writers I choose to read.
I apologize for being remiss in keeping up to date with my stories-work as always makes me crazy and energyless-so big apologies to my readers.
Whatever this ‘ginger group’ intends to do to keep the site going is welcome by me but plz don’t let the competitions just become the round robin of the ‘same’ authors ‘winning’ ad infinitum because I know from my writer friends on the site that those competitions actually put them off writing and some left the site for good. If I may be blunt [and I will be seeing as others have admitted that they have seen fit to criticize the site/I hope they have not criticized the bunch of writers who have kept me entertained since the Show ended] those competitions ended up with the same ole writers winning because of numbers of ‘their readers’ and the fact that they had built up a readership by being on the site from its inception. I don’t want a competition that ends up that way. People’s feelings got hurt. And as I said above, writers left the site. I really wanted to finish reading their stories but they were disheartened.
Those of u who have criticized, plz remember that your opinion is firstly, only one opinion and secondly only your opinion!!! Others may disagree with you entirely or just be too polite to say so.
Jacky, I am grateful that you gave me the opportunity to sprout my long dormant writer’s wings. Thank you. I realize my writing is not perfectly crafted however there are readers who enjoy ‘the story’ and don’t care about perfection. I feel the same about many stories.
much love to all writers, readers and to you, Jacky.
Rau
Hey !!! This is fantastic news !! These are some of my favorite authors ever !!!!! Long live L-word.com !!!!!!!!!!!!!
Hmmm again, so where have you writers been that have come back now???
And why did you not consult all the writers and canvass the readership about ways to lift the sites readership or whatever?
I think rather than announcing that this is going to happen and that is going to happen-maybe you could have put these ideas up in a survey and got feedback. And perhaps given a space for the readership to say what they want. Just suggesting…and remembering that since I’ve been a member ‘changes’ seem to come about from this small group and those changes have not reflected other writers and readers thoughts.
I don’t want the group members to take this personally however I am suggesting that the majority of writers and readers don’t get a look in. I remember discussions about the competitions that I and others took the time to contribute to but were ignored.
Without the readers most of us might not write. Speaking for myself I like an audience and comments.
And I’m speaking out because to me this announcement comes out of the blue and has engendered some hurt feelings already from what I ‘ve read of the comments and the PMs and Emails I’ve had alerting me to this notice posted on the 25th.
It sounds like conversations have been going on behind the scenes between a ‘select group’.
If the Fanfic site is to blossom; its audience which are ‘the readers & the writers’ must feel that their opinion counts.
OK I HAVE asked aroundAROUND ABOUT the feelings of hurt, it comes from this advert and I get what Bugs666 is saying-
L-word.com
RE-LAUNCH!!!!!
Uh why does it need re-launching when us loyalists have continued to be here?
The site you once loved is COMING BACK!
What does that line mean? ‘the site I once loved is the site I still love.’ Yes the site has changed-change is a natural part of life-the change I have enjoyed is the new writers with their new & creative ideas.
Maybe its some people who stopped loving the site and this is about their personal gripes?
Join
Allyemmerson, Jobadge, Gumby, JWET, Seahurst, and Steph8373
as we re-launch
L-word.com!
How do you want us to ‘join?”…what does that require? You [collectively] have just changed the playing field (again) and the rules. In order ‘to join’ I have to feel valued for who I already am and that my opinion counts as does the opinion of Bugs666 who is also questioning the statements made in this ‘relaunch’ and other have expressed their similar opinions in the last 24 hours. By implication-it seems that those who have been holding the fort here are not good enough. Plz explain if that was not the implication of the statements around the re-launch.
Maybe its just that y’all want the readership numbers to go up. That requires more writers more frequently posting, greater variety not less and effective marketing amongst other things.
Ok I’ve probably said too much. But perhaps the word ‘launch’ of new activities rather than ‘re-launch’-the word in this context is a misnomer.
I wish I could say that I’m happy about the new changes. The returning writers have proven that they are great in what they do and I’ve read them all back then…until I noticed that some parts of they’re stories were written to backstab and dishonor other writers. A personal vendetta has nothing to do with writing, I always thought and still think that art stands above that…and writing is a form of art. If you have personal problems with someone then you contact that person directly and tell them your grieves, if you don’t have the guts to do that….well then just keep quiet about it and don’t bother others with it.
Anyway, I hope the new re-invented site will blossom and give all the people that still frequent it a place where the can feel at home.
Glad to see you all back and writing again. Looking forward to new things
I know I’m nowhere near as active in this community as I once was, but some of these changes leave me…well I don’t think there’s a word for it, so I’ll just make this face.
O.oa (I’m scratching my head)
I agree with buggs that this does kind of sound like the writers who stuck around as well as the new writers just don’t matter as much. This is NOT okay. As for the awards, are we really bringing back a popularity contest? I think I need to go back through the forums and see why they were ended. And finally, Jomarad mentioned dishonoring other writers in stories. I really hope that’s all over now.
the re launch is it because ifc is back on showtime.and you guys have sold you soul.well i for one will never watch ifc again,so you have no influence on me.you put showtime and the new show everywhere but i will not watch. i love all stories bette and tina.i watch your contest in the beginning,for what i seen just ways for ifc to control the site!!! now she needs viewer and she back at your site with money.just try to keep it real.i know what coming just tell us now.
What’s with all the bitchyness i must have missed something :S Because i’m totally confused as to what’s going on
As a long time member, since around 2005/2006, I am in disbelief at what was done to this site this week. I couldn’t have said it any better than Rau – who the heck said this site that we “once loved” isn’t the site we have loved? You honestly think the inflated ego’s of a handful of authors returning from their Lword.com site bashing on other sites will resurrect this site? I’m sorry to share with you, people don’t – – money does. How can you welcome back people that had some pretty nasty comments about the site in other places, and admit that to you, and just let others who have stood by you at all times be discounted? Have we become that desperate on this site to beg back people who have put a knife in our backs? It’s a disgrace and I am not in favor of these changes at all.
I feel robbed and misled by the marketing of a Premier membershi. It is a fact that part of the services that this merchant was to render to “Premier” members, as stated in the marketing page was: “Priority voting on future additions/changes to the site.” So tell me, where did this voting take place? It appears to me, that these changes were arranged by this new “team” and the site owner, without any input from the Moderators, the Premier members, and the site membership as a whole. Indeed, the voice of the members as a whole was certainly not heard, and once again we see the same individuals coming back to do things in their best interest and not the interest of everyone.
Wasn’t it only a few years back that Jacky had put the Fan Fiction Awards to a vote of the entire site, and the majority voted to remove them; with the exception being staunch opposition from most of these six individuals? Why did the vote two years ago by a majority suddenly be overruled by a minority of 6 individuals? Why were back room deals being made without any other voices being heard? It is a fact that many of these very people stopped posting around the time the awards went away or at least posted exponentially less when they did. Tell me then, for who were they really writing? The readers or their own ego’s? I am one who is guilty of posting less often than I would have liked to, but that by no means reflected my loyalty to the site. I have consistently been an active member, and my discussion board posts would also confirm that as a fact. Take a look at the number of posts that your Fab6 have posted over the years. It is extremely disappointing to see that the site is being surrounded by all the smoke and mirrors of this Fab6 while catering to them.
I hope the risk was worth it in the end, because I among other intend to cancel Premier memberships immediately, and remove our stories from the site.
It was your choice to set this site up as a democracy, and in your words and in many places on the site you indicated that changes would be made by the people, for the common good of the people.
You have disappointed me and a great number of long time members and writers as well as dismissing the importance of the new writers and members.
Good luck with the back room deals and shaftings. No doubt, this comment will likely be deleted, but at least I can say I voiced my opinion.
ZLFan, I have your comment saved, so no worries there. You raise a great point about the premier memberships I had forgotten about. I know that I wasn’t approached about anything.
I am new in all this, don’t know what happened in the past few years and don’t really care to find out. I enjoy the stories, -catch up with older ones and can’t wait for updates for the new ones. What I want to say is that this is a vital community. One of the few communities in which people get accepted, can express their opinion freely and connect with people with common interests. We mst keep this and all other similar communities at any cost because this is our way to affect things. They are the chance we have to make things happen.
Ditto to what Jomarad said. The site has been ticking by…quite possibly, it is in need of some maintance but I hope it will not be to the expense of other authors who have stuck by this site thick and thin and have posted stories when they can.
Re the authors notes can they be used for the story and not taking pot shots at other folk, if folk have issues can they keep them to PM’s or emails for one. IMO, I come here to read stories they only drama I would like to read about are the gang not folk who have issues with each other.
Lets keep the politics to the politicians…that could be a story….anyway looking forward to the new changes.
Hi ZLFAN, nothing has “been done” to the site other than trying to save it from withering away to dead. Take a look at the forum and the dates of posts. Take a look at the number of postings in fan fiction. There were very few people still coming to the site. And I see detailed numbers not about postings but about the numbers of people coming to the site. It’s been a steep, drastic line downward for a long time. Not all this is due to the show being off the air — it’s been lack of interest in the site and lack of motivation and inspiration provided by the site to the writers and readers and forum members. I had to look for ideas to fire things up — or the site would be dead and taken offline within a year, max. I personally feel responsible for making sure this fan fic archive lives on forever, and to do that, we need people on the site. I think these plans to motivate and inspire will bring people back to the site and get the writers writing and give the readers something to read. That’s it in a nutshell. For 7+ years, I’ve withstood allegations and conspiracy theories, but the truth of the matter is there is no master plan, no evil behind the doors goings on. All it is is me feeling responsible for keeping this site going in the face of imminent demise. Jacky
I also agree with Jacky 100%. I have been visiting this site about 4 years for now and lately doing it less and less, so a change, that will spice up the life here, is very welcome.
Internet and online media have changed a lot during last seven years, so it is natural, that this site also needs changes and updates. At moment for me these changes that has been planned, make sense and I think they make this site more attractive.
As I have been silent reader I have no clue about previous conflicts and their reasons. ZL is making accusations about so called Fab5 attitude “my way or no way” and same time is doing it herself. As Lin said it is really childish, specially if you yourself are doing exactly the same thing. Besides whatever was the problem earlier, Fab6 never took their posts off.
And finally it is so good to see those guys posting their stories again. It has potential to be really good – good old guys and good new guys together.
I have been devoted to this site for almost 2 years and I have been moved by and inspired by all of the names mentioned. I have guessed and sensed some of the devisiveness on the site but thought it was long over. I am thrilled that this site might not whither and die – but I am sick at the thought of not finding another post from Chicki or anyone else who might have left feeling slighted. As a new writer I would be lying if I said I didn’t hope for comments from all of the wonderful iconic authors on this site.
If anyone has been reading my new story, it is all about moving forward…accepting things the way they are and nuturing each other… no matter what.
I have marveled at the bravery of the women on this site who have continuously put themselves out there for all to see and I sincerely hope we can all nurture each other, respect our differents, grow together and move forward ‘together’. I am a true believer that generally controversy is a good thing, but I fear in this case it might not be. Please if there is any way to mend the fenses and build bridges to move forward can we please…Try…Thank you to all who love this site.
Let me be crystal clear — ALL L WORD FAN FIC WRITERS ARE WELCOMED. We are the biggest archive of LW fan fic *anywhere* – and that’s what I’m trying to protect, preserve — and grow. As many know, I actually haven’t read fan fic on this site in ages. I’ve stayed out of the issues between writers. I don’t want to see *anyone* leave the site. I want this to be the archive of ALL L Word fan fic – growing, healthy, long living. That’s all.
I in no way meant to imply differently.
I rarely get involved much when it comes to the drama, but when I do it is because I am forced to react because of insinuations or implications that are not true by any means. Chicki hasn’t even come on here to share her thoughts, yet once again, she is being referenced, by Linbooks no less. The notice was about changes to the site, not a Chicki thread, but as usual it becomes one. Now that it is, let me share my opinion.
Anyone who has been around the site long enough only has to look at the “team” that has been put together to help run the site (not just returning as Fan Fic contributors) but to run the site, to sufficiently understand why Chicki is one of the authors who decided it was best to set healthy boundaries and do what is best for herself. It is true that most members do not know of the past and how some of these “six” individuals have weaved their way into our lives, and not in an enjoyable manner. I can assure you that she is not a perfect woman, but she has never claimed to be either. She would be the first to tell you that too. What she is, is a person of great pride, passion, and above all loyalty. For this woman to take such a firm stance, knowing that the readers she has come to love and respect over the past 6 years would be effected, must tell you that there is much more than what meets the eye.
Furthermore, when someone who has been a very active Moderator on the site and doing a fine job the whole time is abruptly booted along with all the other Moderators, and were not given any type of heads up in advance even when all these plans were taking place in advance, would make anyone feel that this was not going to be a place they wished to share their creativity any longer. That is a slap in the face for all involved.
As for taking her stories down, I suggest someone take a good hard at your “friends” and understand that although they may have kept their names on the site for the sheer glory that came with it, they still were the ones who left this site a long time ago. Tell me, why didn’t these wonderful authors return for the sake of returning and nothing more? Why was it that Jacky had to make them Moderators in order for them to come back? Yes, that’s right, because they bloody well know what is best for us all. Let’s face it, it stinks all the way around not matter how you dice it.
Chicki has been one of the few “senior” authors on the site, along with AmandaMG and some others who have reached out consistently to new authors to welcome them and encourage them. Where have all the others been? Even when they were posting on the site, they typically commented on their Award Winning friends than to take the time and encourage the new writer that was taking a shot at writing.
Chicki has been an award winning author, and probably would have won even more awards if she wasn’t consistently asking readers in her author notes NOT to vote for her and to give someone else a chance. I’m convinced that skewed the results at times, and she may have had far more than she has now. The difference between this woman and some others, is she never cared about those awards. She respected the intent of the award, but always felt them to be based on popularity and not always quality and wasn’t shy about sharing those opinions on the discussion board where people once had a chance to offer their input.
Linbooks, to say that Chicki or anyone else who wishes to take their creative material from a site they no longer feel is operating in the genuine interest of its members, as being “childish” and taking their toys is just plain disrespectful. Perhaps it might have served you better to have told your good friends those very words when they decided to stop posting on the site even though they were posting on other sites (that isn’t life getting in the way, THAT there is the childish games).
These new changes; bringing back Fan Fic Awards which end up bringing about unhealthy competition, revitalizing the Fan Fic Icons next to award winning authors names which symbolize separation between the have and have not’s, and especially the additions of “some” of these particular Moderators who have not been a good model supporters of the site when they did not get their own way, are just SOME of the reasons this woman decided she no longer wished to be part of this community. There are many other communities on the world wide web, and she will be out there continuing to provide her creativity elsewhere. The stories are her stories, and they are more safe in her own hands than anyone else’s.
Hey there everyone,
I came back to read the latest comments.
Can I ask ‘jt’ who or what is ‘ifc’??? You can PM me if u want to explain your comment because I’m not quite understanding it. Are u speaking of IC???
Jomarad and Lamentamini I agree with what I understand of your comments but I don’t recall writers dissing on other writers in their stories. Altho I do remember commenters dissing on some writers for being creative but not PC. To the point that stories I was enjoying got pulled and I could never locate where those writers went. And I was so sad!!!! that ‘live and let live got lost in what could be a great community.
PLZ can we not go back to where certain people think their opinion counts the most.
And to the many new writers of T and B, I enjoy reading your stories. I apologise to the writers who focus on other characters for my sparse reading-its just that I’m passionate about what T and B represent.
Okay, I’m catching up again. I am so sorry, Ness, that Chicki feels and probably by what u write has been slighted. Chicki was one of the most encouraging towards my writing by placing public comments frequently over the years. Another writer from the ‘fab6’ once in a PM told me I was her 2nd favorite writer. When I replied with ‘I never see any comments from u on my posts’ I never heard from her again so I guess in my language ‘she was just talking “kaka”. I think u all get what I mean.
ZLFan I’m sorry that u are leaving and Chicki too.
I woke up this morning pondering whether I would leave-haven’t quite made up my mind yet.
So sorry, Jacky, I know its your site and all but don’t u owe some loyalty to the people who stuck with the site, did not b*#!!!r off elsewhere where one or two of them criticized this site…and what makes them and u think that the ‘re-launching’ is gonna make any difference to the sites popularity?
I come here to read and to post my stories & I continue inspite of a heavy workload to soldier on trying to finish my stories because I have some faithful readers who have become friends who pester me. So my reasons for still being on the are Simple. I’m not interested in much else. I’m only in this convo right now because of the PMs and emails I got. So if the ‘fab5/6’ have got stories to post I may read them and I may not-that’s my perogative BUT I WILL REALLY MISS CHICKI AND I WISH I KNEW WHERE SHE WAS GONNA POST!!!
I come here to read great fanfiction, but have to admit I am confused that the main authors that I come for have been absent for a long time. What ever the reason for this I hope that it will not endanger the site anymore that some rather nasty comments that have been posted have already. I hope that we can all move forward together… That is my wish and peace to all
I can’t say that I understand all the dymamics going on here BUT it seems as if many people have been hurt and are responding from that hurt.
Ladies that have returned, welcome back…..perhaps it would have been wise to come in a little less boldly because you did chose to leave and the rest of us have kind of gone on without you. We are glad you are back,yes, but for what it is worth you might need to regain our trust.
As for the silly writer award logos…please loose ’em…..that was over years ago…its time to level the field…..if your new work is good it will be rewarded via comments like everyone elses work currently is. If we decide to start the award deal again you will have a chance just like all the current writers to be rewarded and THEN you can put the logo on your work. Its a new day, sorry ladies.
If we want this site to survive then old and new folks both need to get a bit humble….and decide to go from WHERE WE ARE to build a better future. This site can certainly use new ideas and writers and new and/or returning writers need our existing fan fiction site.
Lets work together to grow in a positive way this fan fiction site.
Ok, I’m done…..thank you reading
I saw those ‘award icons’ [are back already ] and felt physically sick!!!
I agree with much of what ‘timid’ has to say. The good ole days are over. For some writers who never got recognised with awards those ole days weren’t so good and caused quite an amount of anxiety and self-doubt until they figured out that it was all just a numbers game.
Perhaps, the site will never be as popular as it was during the time when ‘the show’ was on? That’s a reality. Peoples’ attentions are caught by other newer things like Jennifer Beals latest signing or sighting or Laurel’s latest project etc can only be entertaining for so long.
At the moment there is a gap in the market waiting to be filled by the latest TV show. Maybe nothing will ever be as good as ‘The L Word’ in its heyday? Who knows?
But they say you should never go back (wards) and this site just did!
I’ve always thought the awards were dumb that is all.
sorry to see the awards back
@Rau – AMEN!!! to almost everything you said.
It’s inevitable that this site will die the same death all of the other L Word related sites did or are doing. This change will do nothing to prevent that, people have moved on. Keep the concept but let go of the L Word idea, give autors the chance to write other stuff that is not L Word related and then this site maybe and I said “maybe” has a chance to survive.
I’m not a doom thinker, on the contrary I know what this site has meant to a lot of women and also to me, being a member since 2005. I made some very good friends here and I’m glad that it wasn’t the L Word that kept us together, but other mutual interests.
I so agree with Linbooks, change is good. So lets move on.
As I had said, Chicki’s decision wasn’t based purely on some members of the team that had returned, but on the principle of fairness and equality; something that our community seeks in society every day, yet in this community here there has been more done about seperating people (those that pay for membership – those that do not, those with Award Icons and those without, Award Winners and non-winners). If the writing awards were based on professional criteria that is one thing. For example, Chicki had just recently been selected as one of a hundred winners in a pool of 10,000 photography submissions to be published. The selection was based on specific criteria that had to be met and the winners selected by a panel of highly educated photography professionals. The selection was not based on popularity but professional quality. The criteria for Fan Fic awards and how the winners are selected is flawed and not based as much on quality but popularity pure and simple. The lack of a professional panel of some kind, and strict criteria shows the lack of making a genuine selection without biases.
My question is this: If Jacky decided today, to remove the awards for good and to remove the award icons would these six be here today? If Jacky decided to remove them as Moderators and put all new people in, people who aren’t so closely woven together and free of any agenda, would these six be here today?
If returning was a genuine gesture to save the site, then it would not have required Fan Fic Awards, Icons, or becoming Moderators. Not one of those changes saves the site. If the intent is to make a strong Fan Fic archive, then none of the above has anything to do with that at all.
I also wonder what the criteria was for contacting authors who haven’t posted in a while. There are a ton of writers who have not posted in some time, so why were they not all sought out?
When the current Moderators weren’t even given the respect of having an input prior to the decision; when a vote for any changes to the site was not posed to the Premier members as indicated in the benefits of becoming a paying member of the site; when there was no open forum for all site members to discuss changes to the site; when you see the site bringing back those things that seperate the have and have not’s; when you see that the return of people who are suppose to care about the best interest of the site did not encourage open discussion from all members, but instead embraced the award icons and the return of the awards because it is in their OWN best interest; it is far from being about fairness, and all you have to do is look at the Fan Fiction page to find that in just about 24 hours of said changes, these very people are posting. You couldn’t get these people to post when they were not moderators, when the icons were not next to their name, or the awards went away. Yet, there were some authors who remained consistent with or without being a moderator, with or without the awards.
This gripe isn’t about who is a good writer. I have no doubt that each and every one is a very good writer. It has nothing to do with talent at all. It has more to do with character and integrity and the difference between doing what is best for everyone and that which is self-serving.
I first want to thank all the people that have posted comments and would like to address some of the points that Ness and others make. I think those points being made are valid and being one of the people that seem to have sparked some of this obviously, I also have some of the answers to these questions.
I first want to say that this thread cannot be about any one person. I want to be clear that everyone is welcomed, and that this thread should never have gotten to the point where it is about anything other than the site. It also should not have gotten to the point where it is about those that were mentioned as returning.
This has to be a place, and I agree with Ness, where we can feel free to come in here and be the people that we are. That disagreements are ok, they are a fact of life, but attacking one another over them is not ok. That’s not how things ‘should’ be handled.
There are plans for new awards that hopefully have more of the criteria that Ness addresses in her post above. That they are objective, that they are based on clear criteria, and that the reason that we have not shared additional details on them is because we are hashing those things out. I will say that if there are examples that someone knows of where this works and works well, please share with Jacky or Steph so that the awards are not viewed as negative.
I can answer the question, for myself, that if Jacky removed the award icons from the site and removed the awards, it would not effect my decision to be on this site in the least. I am on this site now because a personal issue that I had to deal with is now over, and thus, I can now be on the site. Hopefully I am welcomed back to this site the same as everyone else would be.
If Jacky decided to remove me as a mod, I’d have a lot more time! LOL! When we were asked for help, to do something for the site and take ‘our turn’ at giving of our time the goal that was discussed is that we would work to find our replacements as things were set up, changed, and hopefully we saw some activity on the site rising. My eventual goal is to get back to fanfic writing, which I love, and move out of the mod role long-term. I posted my first chapter to meet that goal for myself, and I know that the other people now posting have written stories because they all love writing. I know that even if they didn’t post them, they still wrote for themselves. Ally has an amazing amount of material that means she can post daily (not to set you up Ally – LOL). She wrote without posting because it is who she is.
There has been a lot of activity on the behalf of this group to contact a lot of authors that have been MIA for some time. Seahurst, for example, has a large amount of people that she has had contact with from the site over the years and has spent a lot of time trying to contact them (e-mails, PMs, phone calls, etc) to try to get them to return and help with providing all of us their amazing talent of writing beautiful stories. That being said, if there is someone out there that has left the site for whatever reason, please take a second if you still talk to them and ask them back. Please tell them they are missed and we want to hear why they’ve left and if it is something we can address, Jacky has committed to doing just that. If any of us can help with that, please contact us and we will take on the responsibility of contacting them as well if you feel it will help. We just need the information.
I want to conclude with the following statement–this site is not about the 6 people that are being referenced. This site is not about any one member of the site. It is about all members collectively, trying to provide an environment that is safe, comfortable, and fun for the majority if not all members and guests. The site actually even has to be bigger than Jacky, it is not dependent on any one or collective group of individuals, if it is to survive. This was a home to me for so long, where I struggled in my life to address what I needed to address, and had the benefit of finding an amazing group of women and men that supported me in that. To do that, it has to be about the members, not anyone else.
Someone also asked and mentioned the premier membership piece of this. I sent a note out on that because I think that one suggestion of having a place where people could post non L Word fanfic is an amazing idea. When a show ends, often the sites do too. But we don’t want that to happen, so I took that suggestion from the comments above and asked if we could discuss it and see what we can do. But, that being said, it was an excellent idea and one that would also help with keeping this site alive. We are open to suggestions, please just make them.
I hope that I’ve answered some, if not all the questions. Please lets keep this thread to the site and possible changes and solutions such as the non L Word fanfic section. That is a great idea! Let’s not venture into an area where we always seem to go, making it about people individually rather than the collective good of all on the site. If we can do that, if we can embrace the fact that we all (I believe) want the same thing and that is a home to read amazing fiction and have a support network, things will be better. So I am asking that this thread please be more about that. And hopefully, if someone has felt slighted or angry about the changes, they’ve been heard. Hopefully, they can find it in them to give it a chance even if they have to take a break and hopefully that for whatever reasons people left the site, if we ask them back, maybe they too can give it another chance.
Thanks for the input, critical or not, it is appreciated.
On the awards… when I first found this fanfic archive, I was completely excited about the sheer amount of stories hosted. And the sheer amount posed a problem: I honestly didn’t know where to start reading.
The awards helped with that. It gave me a clearly-defined starting point. Those awards, I thought, were surely a bit of recognition for a good tale. And I think at first, they were. But I did realise rather quickly that the awards didn’t cover everything… and I just got stuck in and read as much as I could. Some of the best stories I’ve read don’t have an award. They weren’t even nominated. And I could care less; I’m just grateful I had the chance to read them.
I don’t know how the nominating and judging were done for the awards in the earlier days, back when there were *loads* of people posting… but I know how they ended up. It was a popularity contest in a lot of respects. I sort of liked that every reader had a chance to nominate and vote, but at the same time, it led to a lot of great stories being ignored in favor of a few. I really rather not see that again.
I’d rather there was some sort of decent criteria set up. Quality, not quantity. Maybe that should be up for discussion?
If bringing the awards back is going to mean a lot of hurt feelings and controversy, then let’s simply not have them. We’ve lived for the past 2 years without them, and though I’d be happy to have them back — they’d need a bit of a re-vamp.
And on the subject of a re-vamp, can I just say… that I have *never* liked the look of that award icon. I always thought it was rather… phallic. Let’s have something other than a dripping pe(e)n!
As for the waning popularity of the site, with the authors and the readers… sometimes people just move on. The show is off the air now, some of the authors have maybe exhausted everything they personally wanted to say about the characters, some of the readers maybe got what they wanted on screen (no season 6 jokes, please) and were happy enough with their lot. Maybe people just don’t have the time any more, cos they’re working or whatever.
What is sad is that *anyone* has left because they’ve been hurt or feel passed over or anything. And one of my great horrors are authors removing their stories. And it’s not just the stories that go, it’s the comments as well. A lot of the fun for me is reading through others’ reaction to a chapter. Seeing if they loved (or disliked) a post as much as you did. It all adds to the sense of community that I’ve come to love.
As a reader, and as someone who loves this site, story removal is something that just saddens me immensely, every time.
I come here almost exclusively to read fanfic. The activity I have on the forums is centered around the stories that have been posted. But I do realise that there are (or were) other things that drew people to this site. What are the plans for the other parts of the site?
I’m eager to see what happens, and I hope it gets people returning, as well as new users. I want to see this site thriving!
And while I’m here, to every single one of the authors whose stories I’ve read and enjoyed, whether you have posted in the past or present, whether you won an award or not, whether your stories are still here or not, thank you, thank you, thank you. Thank you for writing and sharing. Thank you to the readers, and the mods, past and present, for helping to create a sense of community.
Thank you all for the entertainment, thank you for helping build this site to what it was, what it is, and what it hopes to be.
Thank you.
(oh and a mild disclaimer: I wasn’t trying to take anything away from any award winners… I just noticed that to end up with, it seemed to go all tibette. And yeah, I’m totes a stupidly obsessed tibetter… but variety is the spice of life, yeah?)
Hi everyone, this is BetteAndTinaForever or B&TF…i just want to say Hello to everyone who has been on this site from the beginning, those who came recently and those who had returned. When i first discovered the L Word in 2004, i googled everything i can find out about the show and l-word.com was the second site that came up. I enjoyed reading all the fan fiction, especially the writers who were with the site from the start…some of them left and i missed their stories but new writers began to post who just as good and creative and courageous. The original writers made me want to write and gave me courage to put myself out there as a writer and a reporter, something that i’ve never done before. This site is for everyone and everyone is welcome and i hope that the writers and readers will continue come to this site and share their talents.
I finally got a chance to read all the posts and feel like I’m really late to the party. However, I must get this off my chest. I was a little disgusted by ally’s bashing of this site on another site. I was so upset by it that I still haven’t read her update to The L Wing on this site. I”m sure that I will read it eventually because to NOT read it is spiteful (and I don’t want to be that kind of person) and, of course, I”m curious…I really liked that story.
As others have stated….in all this time other fantastic writers have posted and I have enjoyed them very much. Dazed & Amused, Biisexi, Rau..just to name a few.
I know that the “fab 5/6” (for lack of a better term at this time) that have been referenced have lives and certainly can’t post as regularly as we would all like…Linbooks, for example…I love her stories and really look forward to her next updates….she has continuted to thrill me with her stories. But to my knowledge, they didn’t go off bashing this site. (It just seemed ungrateful to me that anyone would bash a place that allowed that person to share their passion.) I have really enjoyed all the stories of the referenced writers (I’m sorry Steph8373 that I haven’t read yours because they’re not finished…and I hate starting something that might never be) and look forward to reading them again. I also love Chicki’s work…and will continute to read whatever she posts, wherever she posts.
This site is all about “words”….and I can only imagine that the “words” used is what put so many people off. I hope soon, that that will pass.
All that said….this was great place to be last week and I”m sure it will be next week. I can only believe that the place needs an infusion of “something” to get money to keep the site running. And that being the case….I will continue to read and support the site the best way that I can.
The previous comments are from me….Vegas513. I’m so inept I can’t even post correctly. It’s obvious that I’m a READER and not a writer!
The competitions-in the ‘bad old days’-readers followed the original writers at the site and those readers rarely read or never read anybody else’s stories so when it came to competition time those readers voted only for the same old writers (sometimes the odd person might get nominated or even win an award) but mostly it was the same ole writers who got the awards. So where was the competition? There was a competition between the same old bunch-that’s all AND IT became boring, so boring. Then they’d pat each other on the back like they’d won an Oscar while many other very good writers limped away feeling very very hurt.
It was those people I tried to pick up and cheer on. Some left, some took a hiatus but came back with excellent stories anyway. Good on them. They were mature enough to get past the awards thing.
Plz Gumby do not tell us what ‘we should and shouldn’t do’-in a democracy especially a fem-lesbian one there is no room for certain people to tell others what ‘we should & shouldn’t do or say or who we should reference or not’. That was what the battle of the 80s was all about and I ain’t going backwards for anyone individual.
Plus I will say it out loud right now-I will not be reading a certain self-absorbed writer who went off site and publicly slagged it off. And don’t anyone tell me I can’t say that. If that person can slag off the site and others then she is fair game.
As for the smart-alec comment about Chicki taking her toys away-I am disappointed in that person. And previously, I had a lot of time for her.
To some of us, Chicki was a mentor unlike other certain award winning writers who took their toys and ran when they didn’t get their own way. And now don’t even have the dignity to return quietly or apologize for the hurt they are causing to one of their peers.
The way in which this whole so-called ‘re-launch’ was handled smacks of misjudgment which has just brought old wounds and hurts between certain people back into the fore. I never got involved before in the old battles because I suppose they were not directed at me; but the motto I live by is: If you stand for nothing, you fall for anything & everything.
As to ‘the Premiere Membership’ why would anyone continue to pay $$$$ for that when the contract of consultation has been broken?
Oh yea, while I’m having my 10 cents worth of ‘freedom of speech’, why is ‘Lara’ not up on the banner? that omission has irked me for a very long time
and
BTF, it may be your belief that everyone is ‘welcome’ but it seems some people are ‘more welcome than others’.
There is nothing more beautiful to see women going at it, but over this…um, not so much. Chill out pretty ladies, let Jacky do her thing. In all honesty, do any of you really want to see this site gone tomorrow? And ask yourself this, if it wasn’t for this site would I have met those awesome few that I got the chance to know?
My girlfriend thinks she’s a psychic (I think she’s a little crazy) though she see this revamp as a catalyst to many other amazing things to come. We’re looking forward to this re-launch, Jacky. Do your thing, ma.
One more thing: Awards are awesome! We are so glad you are bringing it back. If it wasn’t for the award icons we would have never discovered Greentea, Gaisony, Sandscribe, or Flairforthedramatic. Now….They are by far the best storytellers on this site. (Ladies you have to read their stories if you haven’t yet; it’s like Lays can’t just have one, so addictive!) Jacky, can you bring them back to us?
Ok folks, it’s time to dial it back. Ultimately, this IS Jacky’s site, and she needs to do what she thinks is best to keep it going. NO ONE was asked to leave the site. Some people have made a choice to leave the site and take their stories elsewhere.
To be clear, there is no “freedom of speech” right on this site. Everyone must treat each other with respect, regardless of whether you agree or disagree with their opinions. Everyone has a right to their own beliefs…how you express them is a different story. Anyone who has behaved in any way disrespectfully on this thread WILL find that they are getting a PM from one of the site admins, and WILL find that another disrespectful comment will get their account suspended.
Sorry to be harsh, but enough with the fighting! We need to be a community. Period.
I need to add one more comment…it is flatly NOT true that “the six” of us have posted elsewhere but NOT here in the last 2 years, and bashed this site at the other site being referenced.
True, I personally have not posted a fan fic chapter in about two years…here or anywhere else! But I have also been an admin on this site for over five years, and have continued working behind the scenes even over the past 2+ years while not posting new chapters. Since I don’t follow the “other” site much anymore…I can’t say 100% as to what my fellow returning authors have posted or not, and I will leave it to them to address that individually if they choose to do so.
The bottom line is that we are back here because we want to be part of this community. No “demands” were made by us to come back, and in fact we were all INVITED to come back. All of the changes you are seeing have been made by Jacky, who has worked EXTREMELY hard to make this site the amazing place that it has been for many years now. Regardless of anyone’s personal opinions about those of us who are returning as authors to the site…please at least show a little respect for Jacky.
I’ve read through the posts and never saw any disrespect. But I’ll keep my eyes open just in case. I’ll also keep an eye on my PM box in case I don’t know the definition too.
I apologize if I am somehow being offensive in posting this comment, however I am somewhat confused. Earlier today, one of the moderators on this site posted a comment in this thread. She stated the following in her departing line:
“Thanks for the input, critical or not, it is appreciated.”
Now, why is it that when giving critical input, members of this site are subjected to threats of having their accounts suspended? If one of the moderators is inviting members of this site to give their opinions, voice their frustrations, and try to fix things on this site, then how are we supposed to feel welcomed and accepted? Is there a freedom of speech as long as it aligns with the views of the site admins and moderators?
Once again, not trying to start a fire, just trying to understand.
ZLFan, there is a different between constructive criticism and personal attack. No one will have their accounts suspended for providing constructive criticism. People will have their accounts suspended for personal attacks. Those have ALWAYS been the rules, and they will be applied equally to anyone who crosses the line.
Once again….err….one of your moderators actually “outed” herself, stating that she had bashed this site on other sites….
“my hand of friendship to the site is that i am now announcing that New York Minute is no longer on “the dark side ” – so you can’t cheat !! ”
I bring you proof…directly from “the other site”
not to spark a fire, but if you guys are honestly interested in bringing this site together, and have a harmonious atmosphere, then perhaps you might consider first getting your facts straight, and secondly, embracing sometimes harsh and difficult feedback.
ZLFan, if you read MY post, I specifically said I wasn’t speaking for anyone else in terms of what has been said in the past, at one site in particular, or any others. I have not misstated MY facts in any way.
I am perfectly open to harsh and difficult feedback IF it is presented constructively and respectively. All I am saying is that personal ATTACKS will not be tolerated.
Apologies…I guess I misunderstood this…
“and bashed this site at the other site being referenced.”
particular portion of your post
ZLFan, “the six” of us did not engage in that behavior, as someone upthread had explicitly stated. Hopefully my intent was clear in the second paragraph when I said “I can’t say 100% as to what my fellow returning authors have posted or not, and I will leave it to them to address that individually if they choose to do so.” I am not speaking for anyone else, just for myself. Even during the brief time that I myself left this site and reposted my stories elsewhere, I did not badmouth Jacky or THIS site anywhere else. People have the right to express their opinions here or anywhere else…here they are expected to be expressed respectfully.
Hopefully, those who do care about this community will pitch in and help us maintain a positive atmosphere…none of this is about any one person or any one author. It is a COMMUNITY. Jacky has already addressed this.
Obviously this has raised a lot of sand! I have quickly skimmed the comments and am choosing to not jump into the fray. I don’t read fanfic to the extent that I used to and haven’t written any in a long time. It’s a shame that so many writers have pulled their stories, but that is nothing new, really. I enjoy hanging out with my “peeps” on the Mathemagicians thread, and we were joking that we should get some awards for our prolific posting!
Guess I’m puzzled about the decision to make this major change with the fanfic in light of Jacky’s post from 25 months ago:
The time has come to end the fan fiction awards. This has been something I have been considering for many months for numerous reasons:
–No matter how many times we changed the format, we had complaints and unhappy writers and readers. That was never the intention of the awards. They were supposed to be fun.
–There are just sooo many stories (yeah!!!) it’s impossible for anyone–whether they are appointed judges or just fans–to keep up with them all. So, the stories getting nominated were the ones the majority were reading, which is not necessarily a reflection of the best stories.
–There is a serious time drain on both me and Chad in doing these awards every three months. We need to cut work off our list, and for all these reasons, this is one on-going project to be cut.
I think at this point, L-word fan fic is about as healthy as any fandom on the Internet. Thank goodness! The writer’s write not for awards but because they have something to say about the characters. The readers read not because there is a cute icon next to a writer’s name, but because they want more of the characters than they get for 50 minutes 12 times a year.
In the weeks to come, we’ll be removing the “award” icon next to names in the fan fic listings since it wouldn’t be fair to those who will no longer have an opportunity to earn one of those icons. However, we will maintain the lists of all the past winners and will link to their stories. Please give us some time to make that change.
A million thanks to ALL the writers and readers. Keep having fun and keep writing!
Here are some interesting stats that someone sent to me:
March 25th 2010:
2187 pages
March 26th:
1984
March 27th:
1977
That is the number of pages of stories that have disappeared from the site in just three days since they announced these changes.
That is 210 pages of stories missing, or the equivelant of 3150 chapters being removed.
If these stats are real and reflect real numbers, then I don’t think this is the history that was intended to be made. Numbers fluctuate and perhaps they may go back up but even without personalities and such hopefully somebody will view this as a symbol of opposition to the steps that were taken to relaunch the site.
Two years ago, when the icons and the awards were pulled from the site, Jacky posted the following, to explain the reasons for these changes:
Posted by Jacky on February 19, 2008 ( http://discussion.l-word.com/viewtopic.php?t=15728http://discussion.l-word.com/viewtopic.php?t=15473&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=0 )
The time has come to end the fan fiction awards. This has been something I have been considering for many months for numerous reasons:
–No matter how many times we changed the format, we had complaints and unhappy writers and readers. That was never the intention of the awards. They were supposed to be fun.
–There are just sooo many stories (yeah!!!) it’s impossible for anyone–whether they are appointed judges or just fans–to keep up with them all. So, the stories getting nominated were the ones the majority were reading, which is not necessarily a reflection of the best stories.
–There is a serious time drain on both me and Chad in doing these awards every three months. We need to cut work off our list, and for all these reasons, this is one on-going project to be cut.
I think at this point, L-word fan fic is about as healthy as any fandom on the Internet. Thank goodness! The writer’s write not for awards but because they have something to say about the characters. The readers read not because there is a cute icon next to a writer’s name, but because they want more of the characters than they get for 50 minutes 12 times a year.
In the weeks to come, we’ll be removing the “award” icon next to names in the fan fic listings since it wouldn’t be fair to those who will no longer have an opportunity to earn one of those icons. However, we will maintain the lists of all the past winners and will link to their stories. Please give us some time to make that change.
A million thanks to ALL the writers and readers. Keep having fun and keep writing!
Jacky
I am wondering what has changed so much in the last two years, to make this seem like a good thing to bring back?
I posted the same thing but for whatever reason, it didn’t come up! I also wonder what changed in 25 months in light of the compelling reasons given in that post. There does seem to be some negative impact on most writers when the handful of perennial winners are highlighted.
I spend much less time here and haven’t read fanfic in ages; certainly haven’t written any. It’s sad that so many people have taken down stories historically–I still mourn the loss of an early epic (and award winner), “Introspections” by Mariebrandt. These days, I mostly stick with my “peeps” on the Mathemagician’s thread, where we joked earlier that we should get some kind of award for the prolific nature of our discussions!
Time will tell if these changes work as the leadership has planned.
Hello Everyone,
Ok I have one question for those writers that have chosen to grace us once again with their presence. Where have you been the last 4, 5, and 6 years when it comes to this community. If you add the combined total of your contributions within the forums you would barely reach the contributions of many who have been holding the fort for all this time.
I know I am going to sound jaded and maybe I am to an extent, this is in no ways an attack, but unfortunately it is the honest truth as I see it, as my OPINION permits. I have been an active member of this community for a long time now. And for me the most important thing was always about the storytellers and their readers.
I for one am not going to sit here and say that I am upset that I was removed from my position upon this very site, I am not. What I understand in reality is that sometimes things need to change. What I can say is that I am a little disappointed in some of the decisions that have been made.
The idea that you want to foster a community and archive of fan fiction that is so unique and special is fantastic and I applaud you on this choice. But what I find disheartening is that instead of reaching out to the community that has been supporting itself for a long time, it was decided in everyone’s best interest to go outside. Yes I say outside cause unfortunately many of these contributors have long been absent. And as an active member of this community I find it hard to understand how we are to expect some of these individuals to foster this creative community when they haven’t been active within it at all.
There are some writers who have never left and have been active as much as they can, but unfortunately not one of these authors have proven that they truly ‘CARE’ about the storytellers upon this site. This might all change, you all might be able to pull of a miracle and create a sustainable community. But I guess I still have to ask;
Where have you been to help foster the new wave of writers who have sprung up in your absence, that’s right you were ‘gone’, you ‘picked up your toys’ and left. I am sorry to say this but when this site needed you to help foster those young and aspiring writers you were nowhere to be found. I am sure if you asked many of the younger writers they can point out a selection of individuals who have supported them, kept them calm when they were ready to give up. Helped them prosper, where were you?
This site has seen possibly hundreds of new storytellers pop up and take on the mantel, and some of the ‘Classic’ writers were right here beside them, helping them, helping this SITE. So simply where were you when we actually and truly needed you.
I am a storyteller and I can honestly say I am a better one because of those mentors and friends I have made here upon this site, but I ask you all as you take this mantle, do you truly have what it takes to guide the storytellers upon this site into a new dawn, cause for my two cents you have already failed me as a storyteller cause I have to ask, where were you YESTERDAY.
I truly hope that you all succeed; this is a very special community and one with some amazingly talented and brilliant storytellers who I hope prosper.
Good Luck,
DHD
I would just like to say, I for one love this site. I was a silent reader for over two years. I must have just missed all the ruckus from before and glad of it. There was so many story’s on this site when I came. I didn’t know where to start. so I went back to the beginning, B&T only mind you. I have read a lot of story’s in the archive. and have found lots of great writers, Not just the ones who have won any awards from this site. I never went by that any ways cause I like judging for my self if I like a story or not. Not just because they have an award or awards.
Change is good if it is done in a healthy way. I can as others can see that there are things that could use some up lifting, fixed or added. It’s been said the site is dying and will go under in a year. That I can’t see not more than two weeks ago Chicki had pointed out all the new writers that had started posting and she was right. So many it was hard to read all and have time to keep writing yourself. I also noticed that most are very young, and as you know younger one use word of mouth to pass info. on and they do it extremely fast. Good and BAD.
What I see is not a site that is going down but one coming into a new generation, That my friends will be you re-launching moving this site in to the future. As the L-word show was just the foundation of more to come. The same as this site has become. But in order to go forward you can not look to the past, that is gone.
As far as Chicki, I am very sorry to here she has left, because I believe this is truly a great lose. Not just as a writer but for a mentor for new writers as my self. Even though I don’t consider myself as a writer, I just needed to get some things out of my head and on the journey of doing so I have met some really great friends. whom I dearly love talking and joking with on my comment board and IM’s. Chicki being one of those friend. when I needed help she was there and I was blown away when she commented on my post. Jennifer Beals could have commented and I would have been equally excited, She was doing her job and then some.
I have Two analyses First, You have a group of friends you have a fight or issues that ends badly, they leave you and bad mouth as teenage girls would do. So you are left to pick up piece but find new friends who step in to give a helping hand. You grow and move on and after you get back on your feet, You run back to people who hurt you in the first place, much like one, who goes back to her abuser. leaving the ones who where her true friends who had came to her rescue, in the wind, standing in disbelief.
The second, I look at this as if the site was a patient, First you ask where does it hurt? And I would see this site as a child which would mean you would have to ask the parent or guardian for permission to work on the child and for her or his in put that That parent could give me to give this child the best help it could possible get. A doctors oath “First do NO harm”
I have been reading the comments but reluctant to join the discussion because I wasn’t certain that I had a horse in this race. On reflection, though, I realized that I have at least three.
My preamble is that I love the site and my gratitude to Jacky is boundless.
I also am a strong believer that the owner of the site has absolute and full discretion to run it whatever way she wants. I fully accept that Jacky can demand that all postings r 2 be written in the style of txt , that B&T are never again to eat Thai food, and that no screen name can be identical to that of the most delicious, most sublime frozen dessert that has ever existed.
I also believe that new ideas are to be encouraged and cherished.
I also note that a Comment section was included in the Announcement and that it has remained open. Therefore, I believe that exercising the opportunity to comment is acceptable.
I have several concerns, but can discuss those that are less serious or less timely on the thread forums that I assume will soon be created. My principle concerns, though, are time sensitive and believe merit more rapid discussion.
I am selfish. I crave content. The return of so many revered authors is exciting, and I had assumed would dramatically increase content—more fan fic to read!. It seems, though, that there may be no net increase in content. The details of how this site change was initiated are immaterial, but the result has been that writers directly affected have left the site. Collateral damage is certain, with other writers and readers, including prolific and generous commenters, also abandoning the site. These are terrible consequences to readers and maybe even to the vitality of the site.
Restoring award icons that are two or more years old smacks of thoughtlessness (at best) and indifference to the contributions to the site made by the many magnificent authors who have joined the site in those two intervening years. Many certainly would have award icons next to their names had the awards continued. I find it impossible to believe that they do not feel slighted, unappreciated or disrespected. This could easily discourage their continuing participation in the site and we would be robbed of some of the best writers that have ever appeared on the site. This would be a disaster. It is essential to take immediate action to eliminate this horrible possibility.
I am also disturbed that the phrase “The site you once loved is COMING BACK!” remains on the home page of the L Word fan fic site, despite the many expression in the Comments that the implications of the phrase are insulting and hurtful (feelings I share).
Respectfully,
Spumoni
Here is the feeling of someone who has been a reader on this site since November 2008 and a regularly updating writer since February 2009.
I think changes are part of every human community, on the Internet as well as in real life. And here especially I think the purposes of the changes are good ones: making the site more attractive to have more readers and keeping available on line a huge amount of L Word ff. How could I not agree with it?
But after reading the whole thing – the presentation of the new project and the comments on it – I must say I don’t feel welcome here anymore. Yes, I did read the statements that “everybody is welcomed”. But I’m talking about a feeling I have.
I’m gonna try to explain.
What do you read in bold letters on the front page? “The site you once loved is COMING BACK!”. My first impression is that although I am told that the goal is to create a new environment, all it is really about is bringing back something from the past. A past I was not part of, as I have only joined in late 1998. Not very welcoming for me.
What’s next? “Join Allyemerson, Jobadge, Gumby, JWET, Seahurst, and Steph8373 as we re-launch L-word.com!” So I have read some stories or at least some chapters from two of these persons but nothing from the others. Some of them I haven’t even heard their name before. I have always preferred reading stories that are posted at the moment I read instead of going back to past stories. I guess it is the reason why I don’t know those people. But I am invited to join them nonetheless. I find it weird: as I have been there for the last few months while they were away, I feel like they are joining us and not the other way around… But apparently the red carpet has been unrolled as those people have accepted to come back. Apparently their presence is highly valued. Not very welcoming for the other faithful members.
And now let’s have a look at their solutions to bring back more persons to the site: “Bringing back the fan fiction awards” – “award icons to return”. It looks like most of the solutions are about going back to the past and bringing back things that were stopped at some point for good reasons. About the award icons, I really don’t understand how this is supposed to increase the number of visitors on the site. I just don’t get it.
But what I get perfectly is that with those icons I feel once again unwelcomed and out of it. The last awards were won by writers in 2007. Too early for me once again. As a reader I have never voted for any award. So those icons reflect something that I don’t feel part of at all. As a writer I have never had the chance to win an award. I’m of course not saying that my writing deserves one. I really don’t think it does. But once again I don’t feel part of it. Maybe it would have been wiser not to bring back those icons until the new awards are done.
But now if I look at the ff page. What do we see? Most of the stories with said icon are from some of the six people who are supposed to work at saving the site. So they are asking us to join them, as they are now the owners or at least the administrators of the site. And as a welcome sign, they bring back those icons who tell us all that THEY are the best writers on the site. I’m really sorry to say I don’t feel it welcoming at all. Many persons on this thread have expressed their concern and/or disapproval about those icons. But now we are kindly reminded that only positive criticism will be allowed. Somebody asked directly said six persons if they would post without these icons. Only one, Gumby, has directly answered the question and told us that she would write nonetheless. Does it mean that the others wouldn’t? I ask another question: how can you justify that those icons will attract more readers to the site? If you can explain it, then let’s keep them. But if you can’t, I suggest you suppress it. Or have the honesty to tell us that you refuse to write any further without the icon.
I really have no idea how to “save” this site. But for me the solutions that are proposed won’t achieve it. On the contrary. The number of writers who have already pull their stories show that many people don’t feel at ease with what is happening here. And I dare believe that their presence here and their opinion have as much value as anyone else’s.
It feels like all the changes that have come recently and are about to come on this site are all about creating hierarchy. I’m not expressing my bitterness because I am not fortunate enough to be on top of this hierarchy. One thing I loved about this story was precisely that there was no hierarchy at all. For sure, we knew how many readers and how many comments each story had. But that was all. The story on top of the front page was the last posted. Period. No icons, no awards telling us which writers are the best and which were not. And that is something I loved and cherished. When I first started writing ff, I posted it on this site and on this site only. And I still can remember the warm feeling I got from the comments and encouragements I received from many readers. I felt welcome. And today I don’t feel it anymore. And it really saddens me.
Wow, after reading all of the comments posted on this subject I have to say one thing, I’ll probably be crucified for it. You are all very intelligent women, some angry but none the less intelligent. It amazes me that with all that intelligence you forget an important thing, the story telling. People have stories to tell and this is one of the few sites they can tell them. I encourage anyone reading this to post a story if you have one to tell. Any of the current authors who feel offended by what is going on, to just say “fuck it” and keep posting anyway. To the readers, ignore the drama, support the site and keep on reading.
I’m in no way shape or form trying to play “We are the world” here, I’m merely diverting traffic from this. Look guys, an NC-17 posting. To quote two great men, Bartles and James, thank you for your support. And what is with the code thing, I feel like I’m going through a drivers license renewal eye exam, please laugh at this post.
Oh dear…
I have to admit to increasingly intense feelings of frustration.
So many things I’d want to say have already been said, about the power of story-telling and the value of each individual writer investing their time and trust and energy on sharing their stories with us, the readers. I’m deeply grateful to all of them.
BUT reading this thread feels like trying to form an opinion on a film or book or concert on the basis of reviews, without being able to watch, read, listen for yourself – and I hate that!
If things have been said elsewhere, link them! Ditto for stories posted or moved; ditto for any other content relevant to this debate. People are able to read for themselves and think for themselves. Throwing hints around will keep this going on for ever, without any result worth the breath.
That being said: Jacky, you rock! This site has been a home to lots of us for lots of years, and I for one just want it to stay around and thrive – with everyone of good will feeling welcome.
“The site you once loved is COMING BACK??,huh! what the hell does that mean ? where had it gone to?
There were some compelling reasons given why those icons were remove and the ff award ended,now someone need to give me one good reason why they are back.
the reason is EGO’S
Holy smokes. I think Tante Augestine said it best and was able to capture the jist of what many are feeling and expressing. I am floored the old Mods were fired. What for? Were they all not doing the job and were they given any warning ahead of time? Getting volunteers to genuinely help without any strings attached can be very difficult.
I agree with tante. Why are we being asked to join these writers, rather than them joining those site members who have been regularly sustaining the site. For example, how do we join Seahurst when she posted a total of 2 times in 2008 and 7 in 2009? How do we join steph, whose last post was November of 2007? Or Even Gumby, who posted a total of 1 time in 2009? Or Allyemmerson, who may post a quantity of stories but is unreliable to her readers when she can’t decide which site will be more receptive.
This information is not meant to put anyone off, but it is factual. And please spare me from the “life struggles” excuses because it is safe to say that at some point in their tenure, many of the writers on this site have faced personal complications but have still continued to make the site a priority in their lives and to be true to their readers.
So yes, as Tante and many have asked, why a banner asking everyone to join THEM in a relaunch, when in reality it should have been them rejoining EXISTING and active authors in relaunching the site.
My prediction is that you will definitely see these people returning, along with other previous award winners who stopped posting along with the awards, because they have been granted all that they have wanted, having come back as a group, rather than individuals. Which appears to be in the same manner that they left the site.
I still want adress the issues that new writers have with the soon to be made changes. I propose we all meet in the chatroom next Sunday evening, or whenever you show up. Hopefully, the new administration will be present and be able to adress some of the issues. I’m not going to invite specific people, this is for everyone that has something to say. SUNDAY 4/4/2010 IN THE EVENING!
I’m always amazed by people who try to sell their version of MY truth without ever having a conversation with me. If you want to know what my motivations are, send me a PM and ask, but please don’t believe someone else’s false version. That really gets us nowhere except for deeper into a pool of negativity…and that is so far from what I am about.
Also, please don’t believe anyone who suggests that the only way to prove you are an important member of this site is to constantly be vocal or by continuously posting stories. Every single member of this site is just as important as the other. Whether you shout the loudest, choose to read silently, or are somewhere in between we are all an integral part of this site. Don’t ever let anyone tell you differently. Do I make comments on all the newer writer’s stories? No I don’t. Do I spend a lot of time in the forums? No I don’t. Have I posted fan fiction as regularly as I use to? No I don’t. What I do is to consistently come into fan fiction and read stories, both new and old, every single day, seven days a week. I may have taken a step back in last several years and I’m not as vocal as I was before, but I will ask those who feel they have the right, please don’t tell me or the THOUSANDS of silent readers how we must participate in order to be thought important or supportive. I’m sorry that you think that the only way I can contribute to this site is to write fan fiction, or because I don’t comment on every single story that I have somehow abandoned this site. Nothing could be further from the truth…but you wouldn’t know that because you didn’t bother to ask.
Someone asked earlier why Gumby is the only one who has given her thoughts on the awards, and if the others had, the least we could do is post a link to our comments. So, here is a link to what I said about the awards…although after reading some of the previous comments it is clear to me that many people would prefer to listen to those who assume to know my motivations and feel they have the right to invent their own version of our truth then paint us all with this false brush.
Oh, and by the way, I also choose to support this site through financial donations which I have been sending since WAY before the Premier membership came out.
http://discussion.l-word.com/viewtopic.php?t=13741&start=810
talaula – Meeting in the chat room is a good idea, however you might need to choose a different night. Next Sunday is Easter, so that may prove hard for some people who would like to participate.
Seahurst help me understand…You don’t really comment on the new authors’ stories; You don’t really spend much time in the forums; and you don’t post fan fiction hardly at all.
So the point in throwing you nameup on some banner announcing your big return was just why again?
Okay how about the 4/18/2010 sunday evening? Cancel 4/4/2010 Sunday—- CHATROOM SUNDAY EVENING 4/18/2010. This is inviting everyone to join and chat with the new administration.
I came here to read great ff and coundn’t find CHICKI story. I’m really sad :-( . I miss CHICKI ! Where’s CHICKI the author I love.
I’m very happy & thankful that this site is re-launching or whatever it is being called. It simply means to me that this site will continue to thrive & grow. For this I’m very thankful. I’m a silent reader & I locks in seven days a week for my fan fiction fix. Thank you for all your efforts & generosity. I deeply appreciate it all.
Readers read because writers write. My foremost concern is that the archive is kept intact and that new material becomes available.
I hope those who have a direct hand in preserving old stuff and encouraging new stuff will do a good job of that.
I tried to post 2x here yesterday & both times apparently I got the ‘captcha code wrong’. Funny-weird, I never got it wrong b4. So I will try again to make my points.
1. A ‘contract is a contract’ whether made orally, written, implied in the USA, Internationally or outer space. Watch the real world & u will see that the Law of the USA & International Law applies even on Internetland. So to the ‘Premier Membership”, a written offer of contract was made. Its been posted here previously. That contract said that Premier members would be ‘consulted’ But I’m told they weren’t. In fact, at least one got a nice bye-bye letter.
2. By that Premier Membership and the transference of $$$ they became shareholders in this site, meaning, it doesn’t belong to 1 person anymore.
3. Thank u Tante Augustiine for expressing the impression of unwelcomeness as a result of the summary dismissal of some Mods, the lack of consultation with Premiere members and even the lack of consultation with writers & readers without whom much of the site would not exist.
4.Oh, yes ‘freedom of speech is a given under the 1st Amendment & International Human Rights Act-again even in Internetland especially in a welcoming community.
5. If u sit on the fence, all u get is barbed wire up your F#*!Y.
6. Loyalty is one of those treasures like integrity.
Finally, if this does not post, then I am not paranoid.
hey folks.
me, as a used-to-be moderator, have to say i don’t understand why all of a sudden we need those changes. might be because there was no warning. nobody told me the site was having that much trouble that we needed big, big changes.
i admit i haven’t been as active over the last year as i used to be, but it would have been nice to include us (the moderators) as well as every other member on the site in this decision making process. after all this site would be nothing without its members. and i’m not quite sure if making them angry is the best way to go. but in the end it is Jacky’s site. and if she thinks this is the right or the best thing to do, she should do it. i personally doubt it’s gonna change anything – at least not for the better. the site already lost a few writers. and it’s gonna be at least one more today. and i don’t know if that’s the end of it. maybe the new team considered this and thought a few losses would be worth the change. i hope this won’t come back and bite them you-know-where.
for the site’s sake i hope this was, in fact, the best thing to do and none will regret they made this decision. i wish you all the best of luck and hope the changes will do whatever is best for the site and its members. because it’s them, the members, that keep the site alive.
good luck.
Today is truly a sad day for me. I’ve been a mostly silent reader for quite some time now, only commenting here & there. I’ve become a fan of many of the Bette/Helena pairing writers & i’m sure I won’t be reading one of them again because they’ve pulled their stories, like many authors of other pairings have.
I understand if changes need to be made, then the owner needs to make those decisions. But it seems like you’re gaining a few back & losing many more. I don’t have actual figures or anything, just speaking on what i’ve seen over the past few days. I couldn’t believe when I stumbled onto this site years back, it’s been great & I do hope it will continue to be so.
Caitlin-Jayne, you will be missed.
I’ve heard talk about other sites that authors post to, not that i’m leaving, but can anyone tell me some of those sites so I can check them out.
So there will be a gathering in the chat room on April 18th. I won’t be there, because I think it is a lame attempt to try to reconcile a big mess that most knew would happen. Question is, the chat has always been exclusive to Premier Members. In the least, it best be open to non-paying members too. Right?
16 authors have left as of today
16 authors who have posted over the last year or two, not the 1,000 authors who have been inactive for over 4 years.
It should be pointed out that there are more than 1,000 authors who have been INACTIVE for over 3 or more years.
Is there a reason why a lot of authors who pulled their stories off, for some reason, the server is re-loading them?
Everything aside, why is there a big uproar to have these “Award Winner” photos back? Could these images be any more disturbingly phallic?
I love this site. I’ve been coming here to make sense of life and love and the universe and Bette Porter.
I can understand why some authors chose to leave, but to take their old stories with them?
Well it’s a statement! If you are interested in reading them you can always read them somewhere else, right.
Btw. chatroom April 18th during the evening…I live in Belgium and have at least 6 hours difference with your East Coast, I will be sound asleep when you start debating….if people show up that is. I met a lot of people here that are not residents of the USA…so I assume that this will be something like “The American Tea Party”?
@jomarad well i am too lucky that none of my favorite authors has left the site.
I’m sorry about the time difference for some of you. Maybe we can convince the admin to make the whole day available not just in the evening. I don’t know if they can dedicate the entire sunday to the site, but I figured it’s worth asking them. What do you say current admin, can you make the whole day available for supporters of the site who live all over the world? It would be a great opportunity to get their input and maybe get some of them to put the farming tools and torches down, LOL. Shall we give peas a chance?
There are 6 of you, maybe you can take shifts? Just a suggestion.
Why do we always have to fight it out in any and all circumstances. Do we need to inflict hurt back, to retalilate just because we are hurt. In all the wrong, misunderstanding, betrayal, please do not forget…we come together because of our LOVE for L-word, the characters & their stories, writers & readers.
Please please reconsider.
Respect, Loving-kindness, Patient.
April 18.
Three weeks after these events.
I am sure that it is irrelevant, but when I am in a meeting in my work life and either (1) I think a discussion on a subject has gone on to long, or (2) the discussion is heading in a direction that I don’t like, I always announce “Let’s come back to this later,” hoping (and it has almost always been true) that we never get back to the subject.
Hello everybody,
I don’t understand what’s going on? Is the website going to close? :s Can somebody explain in simple words what has been said in the comments? I’m not a native :) What’s the problem? Is there one?
badaboumbabou, I don’t think the site is closing yet.
I think a few of these changes are because Jacky wants to try and increase the numbers of visitors to the site, possibly for ad revenue to ensure that the fanfic archive stays online.
Yeah, 18th of April is ages away. What’s happening on the 11th to prevent a chat? The 4th? I don’t celebrate Easter. The 3rd? The 2nd? Today?
The “exclusive fanfic writers and readers chat” is usually non-existent, as the room is quite often empty, and I keep odd hours because I work odd hours; the busiest I’ve seen that room was the night of the Season 6 finale, and even then, there were only 5 people in it.
Something a bit more inclusive maybe? Saying that, this comment thread seems to be open to everyone…
A few bad choice in verbiage, lots of hurt feelings, hopefully moving forward because i need my daily fix and love the stories….
I agree Jill, but so far only Seahurst and Gumby have responded to the chatroom visit. I’m down for whatever, but the new administration needs to be there. There’s no point in us getting together in the chatroom if the heads of state aren’t going to be there. Actually, the chatroom will still be a fun place to be, we just won’t get answers to our questions. LoL
Jill–I can only speak for me, but the reason the 4th doesn’t work is that I do celebrate Easter and the 11th is when my daughter will return back home. The 18th allows me to have a distraction-free chat to answer whatever questions people might have. I do have a concern though that the chat is not available to everyone, so are there suggestions as to what others would like to see if anything? Perhaps just someone who has a question can PM us or put a discussion thread up that we can check into?
Longer!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! is all I have to say to everyone
If we all agree to say that this chat is something important – since a lot of members have express their fear and concerns and would like to talk about it – I think it would be unfair to settle it in a chatroom where only a few members are allowed.
By PMing your question (as Gumby suggested for those who won’t be allowed), you don’t really have the oportunity to ask more if you are not satisfied with the answer. Besides with the PMs the debate is not a public one.
I think it is necessary to have this big talk where everybody can join. I suppose Premier members wouldn’t be offended if the chatroom was open to everybody for one day (seems like they are used to lose their privileges nowadays anyway :o( ). And after that, the whole discussion should remain available for everybody who missed it but wants to know what happened.
Another thing: Gumby, you wrote that you would “answer whatever questions people might have”. I do hope that this discussion won’t be only about giving some more information about what has already been decided, but will be a real discussion, where the new team will listen to what the members really want and make adjustments later.
I don’t need to be more informed. All the information I need are already stated on top of this page. They are the reason why I consider leaving the site.
PS : Gumby I’m sorry to pin on you, as you are the only member of the new team who seems to accept to discuss and to answer on this thread.
I’m a premier member and I have no problem with opening the chatroom to everyone. It’s not my decision but there is a solid “Yay to public chatroom” from me. It really is up to the new admin. The chatroom is always empty anyway, no one uses it. When I get bored I go in there and play with the smiley faces, but that’s it. And I’m rambling, okay thanks.
I’m sure whatever I say here will hardly matter because some of the changes are already in place and I’m just a reader. But I’ve got to get this off my chest, so please bear with me for a few minutes.
I am saddened by the rancor and division that the announced re-launch has brought about. I’m all for reviving the site and preserving its rich story archive but how I wish it didn’t have to come at a price, at the expense of authors who have done a lot for the site. No one was thrown out, I think. The authors who left the site did it on their own accord. But I understand why they left and took their stories with them and I wouldn’t dare label it as a childish act.
Isn’t it ironic that the move to increase traffic to the site and thereby preserve its 7-year old fan fic archive has resulted to the deletion of a sizable chunk of that archive and the departure of a number of writers and their loyal followers? Was this a calculated risk? Could this collateral damage been avoided? Is this the only way to revive the site? Only time will tell if this will work and if it is worth it.
I am utterly grateful for this site, for the people who have kept it afloat all these years, especially Ms. Jacky. I started coming here in late 2007, at the beginning of my Tibette obsession. At that crazy juncture in my life, I trolled the Net for every morsel about TiBette whenever I can, every day without fail. I was totally addicted for more than a year and my addiction was partly fueled by fan fic from this site. I never thought I would get hooked on it. (Bette Porter as U.S. President and a gaggle of her lezzie friends running the White House? Are you kidding me?) But I did. I gobbled up all the TiBette stories I could get my hands on and many of them were written by the new group of moderators. I absorbed as much as I could and enjoyed my obsession for whatever it was worth.
But that obsession has already run its course. Eventually, my interest waned and it was hastened by the disaster that is season 6. I had to grow up and curb my addiction. There’s more to life than TLW and fan fic anyway. The show has ended, the creators and the actors have clearly moved on and so must I. But I still stop by and read whenever I can though I don’t comment on stories as often as before. I seldom feel the compulsion to do that anymore. And I can’t remember the last time I posted a comment in the message forums. In the lead up to season 5, I used to check them out several times a day, even during office hours. I met and befriended some kind and sensible souls there but like me, almost all of them have moved on. Only a handful of dedicated souls are keeping the forums alive and I salute them.
I think the discussion board is the one that’s been in life support for quite some time now. And for the life of me, I don’t know how it can be revived. How it can draw in new addicts and regular visitors.
As for the planned return of the Fan Fic Awards and the reappearance of the fan fic winner icon, may I suggest that the new mods reconsider and think about this some more? Who will ultimately benefit from the revival of the awards and that disturbing icon? If it matters a great deal to the previous winners, then please say so. If that’s the only way to entice the “old” writers to come back, then please state it as the main reason for bringing them back. Because from this reader’s perspective, the awards and that disturbing icon don’t matter at all. No disrespect to all the previous winners. I admire your work, creativity and dedication but I honestly doubt that a new bunch of readers will flock to this site on account of those icons. Come on! All the previous winners, active or inactive, are already icons in this site. They have a built-in following and even if they haven’t posted for ages, the page views of their stories have already run up to thousands upon thousands, which they and their stories richly deserve. But do those authors really feel the need to flaunt their iconic status each and every time they post a chapter? Seriously?
The fan fic site has thrived without the awards and that icon in the last two years. Come to think of it, many of the writers that have kept the fan fic flame alive, post L-Word, are either brilliant “veterans” who are shockingly non-winners or those who came onboard when the awards were stopped. I’ve read some really brilliant stuff here since 2007 and I and my fellow readers have rewarded the authors with our profuse thank yous and immense adulation. And I tell you there’s nothing more rewarding for a fan fic reader than to see a writer share entertaining stories, sometimes well-written at that, and post regularly for the sheer love of writing and TiBette or whatever ship the others are following. Why don’t we just let the stories speak for themselves?
But again if it’s a big deal to the authors, then so be it. I just hope that it won’t turn out into a bitter popularity contest.
I welcome the planned redesign of the site and the mining of its rich archive for classic stories. I hope that someday the readers will also be given the chance to nominate a Fan Favorite Author (“old”, inactive or new) or something. Many of the authors have moved on too and that’s perfectly understandable. All we can do is celebrate their work. Maybe you can also have a “Where are they now?”section or corner. It might be difficult for most of the inactive authors to post again but for me, a brief note on how they’re doing now will do. Are they okay? Are they still alive?
It might be a good idea to tell the readers/members/guests what concrete steps they can make to help keep this site alive. Maybe you can also consider infusing new blood to the new group of mods. Again, no disrespect to the new mods but I’m sure some of the new, young authors here have fresh ideas on how to attract and reach out to new readers/members. I think it won’t hurt to listen to them.
Thank you so much for reading, to this site and to all the wonderful people who have kept it running and good luck to the new admin team. Long live l-word.com!
One last thing, I’d like to give an old-school shout-out to chicki. She doesn’t know me from Adam but I’d like to give her credit for all that she has done for the site, for mentoring a bunch of new authors and for all her stories. I think she is the only fan fic writer who was bold enough to write a TiBette story with 9/11 as the backdrop. That story alone is quite a loss for this site’s archive. Godspeed, chicki.
I just spent a good 20 minutes writing a comment here. I put the correct captcha but got the ole ‘error blah-blah so this is a ‘test’ post.
AInteresting!!!
I’m making this public because it started here & it should end here.
Linbooks I want to thank you for as I said: the sane PM.
I am asking that the Mods/Admin/Jacky haul in the person who has unresolved issues from ways back with Chicki and now is writing to me saying that I am spouting lies and worst allegations against Chicki which if I were to believe them would make me very scared of Chicki but it is not Chicki I’m scared of its the person making the allegations.
In response by PM & Email I have tried to be reasonable, I’ve tried humor, I’ve tried to be succinct But to use her word the ‘vitriolic’ continues and she precedes her vitriolic by saying words of the effect that she can see no resolution, that I’m not willing to meet her mid-way. Having made that decision why keep ‘hammering’ at me? I’m beginning to feel like a battered woman u know in the stage where the abuser tries manipulation, mind reading [Quote: I’ve just had an epiphany you’re angry…then more arrogant stuff assuming she can read my mind over thousands of miles distance-freaky]- then uses verbal abuse to try to get control-what’s next I ask myself?
I’m actually a sensitive person. I don’t handle harassment.
How did this person read these debates and translate them into something that’s all about this person/now moderator?
I need this stopped.
Linbooks because u spoke sanely to me I’d like u to contact me by PM because I want the admin/mods to stop this person harassing me. I’m willing to speak with you about it. I wouldn’t want her as a moderator after this.
Rau, I am shocked.
I had written a very long response, but realized that it wasn’t necessary. What needs to be said can be summed up briefly: the anonymity of the internet can allow people to behave very badly without consequence. In this instance, though, the perpetrator is NOT anonymous to Rau and there can and should be accountabilty.
Having been around the site during prior episodes of drama, my biggest hopes have been that the new changes would be be done with a minimum of rancor and defections. The flip side of those have been my biggest fears.
I am so sad and, on Rau’s behalf, furious.
Rau, please post again and tell us if the harrassment has ended to your satisfaction.
If this newly appointed Moderator is now harassing a member of the site namely Rau because of the views she voiced on the changes, and part of the communication with Rau has included allegations against your character, then Chicki PLEASE you should consider sueing the that person any anyone else who has bruised your reputation over the years.
To add to the above reply the mission statement on this site says
This site will not tolerate any form of Discrimination, Intimidation, Confrontation, or Manipulation
Hi everyone – so I noticed when I came back in here that a few posts up there was a note from tante_augustine, asking me (I think) whether we would only be open to answering questions or having a discussion that includes questions. Thanks for bringing that to my attention because there is an important distinction, and yes we are open to a discussion that includes questions and statements. I likely didn’t make that clear, so I wanted to make sure that I did at this time.
I’m not sure about whether the chat can be opened or not, but I can tell you that we are going to be starting some threads on the discussion boards and those everyone can access. So, does that help with the discussion and actually, it does help us because it divides things up in to threads.
I’ve gone through this thread, all 131 responses as I write this, and pulled out major categories and began to tackle the feedback and make sense of all the suggestions and feedback. I will begin to post what I’ve got as soon as I can in the discussion boards.
I would like to thank everyone for their time in responding, I know there is a lot of emotion in those responses because I’ve gone through them. Thanks!
@Gumby – I understand you’ve got through this thread, all 131 responses….you answered a few things…but you as a mod and close to the other mods, shouldn’t you also say something about what’s happening with Rau?
oh good..the thread i was looking for…
Pointed out in a prior comment, there is a mission statement recently posted to the site that reads in part: “This site will not tolerate any form of discrimination, intimidation, confrontation, or manipulation.” These words hold zero value unless the owner takes action against whoever has already abused their position.
I wonder if there are any other people who have posted here that have been harassed.
I wonder if there are any other new Moderators besides this one that has harassed Rau, who are manipulating site members with promises of all these changes being great, and then becoming confrontational when they are not agreed with.
I’m flustered looking back over these posts to find an Administrator that has threatened to suspend people’s accounts for sharing their honest opinions, and now a new Moderator who has gone after a site member and harassed them because they won’t change their view and join their view. Heaven’s sake how can this be happening? This is by no means the site we once loved, not even close to it. The site we once loved was here over a week ago and was running great without these changes. We can never reverse the losses experienced over the last week with authors leaving, stories disappearing, history crumbling, and the intimidation that has been created here by an Administrator and by a Moderator who have already let their new titles go to their head.
The place I once found a safe haven to read fan fiction and skim the message boards without confrontation over the last few years isn’t a safe site to be anymore and for that I mourn.
I couldn’t agree more. I find the whole thing appauling if the site owner and other moderators aren’t willing to police the site in accordance with their own mission statement.
Jomarad – I did read the submission that Rau posted regarding her interaction with another mod on the site. I also know, that it is virtually impossible for anyone to know what was said in the PMs (both sides) unless one has read them. I did discuss this with the mod in question, read the PMs back and forth, and have expressed my opinion to that person directly. I have not discussed this with Rau, I’ve never had a direct discussion with her in fact. I would just like to remind everyone that life is rarely black and white, it is full of shades in between. Should Jacky feel the need to weigh in as well, I am sure she will do so with that person directly.
Scared and confused – I have never spoken to Rau in a PM, e-mail, or otherwise so I cannot speak to whether she feels someone else has harassed her. I do know, however, that I am responsible for my own behavior and own it accordingly. Since I was not the one that engaged in a conversation with her, although I have indeed read each PM back and forth and know what was said entirely, I’ll leave it at saying that we stand behind what we wrote in our mission statement and any action that needs to result can be done by Jacky should she feel the need.
I want to also respond by saying that I certainly understand that one cannot and will not please everyone at the same time. We didn’t ask that everyone stop having opinions, we asked that they merely post them in a constructive manner. If you disagree with me, I’m ok with that, it is through that interaction that one can grow in my opinion. I’m still here, still open and willing to have a discussion that encompasses questions if there are any, and I am still reading and taking the feedback to try to organize it and get threads created and opinions registered.
Thanks.
We would like to share with you the story of how we ended on this site, after wondering around in French sites for two years, following a new show called the L Word (back in 2005). Yeah, in Mexico, it went on air (broadcasted) in July of such year.
We were silent readers, for over 2 years and in order to support all Authors, we started posted our thoughtful comments on the stories that were our fav and sometimes, we PMed those Authors directly, when we wanted to make a certain remark.
We felt comfortable and at ease. We made lots of good friends, throughout the years, and grew a wide extended family here, which we love dearly.
However, these Salsa Ladies have been feeling awkward and not comfortable with the changes being made. Apparently, it seems that all these years that we have spent here are being reduced to meaningless. That is, we have been notified that we have not been at the comfortable place we thought we were. Now, instead of just posting a story for the fun and love of writing, we are supposed to go into a contest vs people who might have a better knowledge of the English language and with whom we cannot compare or challenge any of our skills. We feel sad. Because that was not the reason why we ended on this site.
We are true to our convictions. That is, we always stick to what we think it is right. Therefore, if ANYONE says that our story stinks, that someone may have a point, but in NO WAY gives that person the right to dismantle or change those convictions or beliefs that we have built throughout the years. These Salsa Ladies wishes were never focused on the search of the Pulitzer prize or any writing award, whatsoever. We only wanted to write for the fun and love of it. That is HOW we were encouraged.
It saddens us to depart and remove our only story, as we do not think that we will have the opportunity we thought we had, being totally amateurs on the writing field.
We would like to thank all of our wonderful readers, for all their support and encouragement. We kindly ask them to understand that we have to stand tall with our beliefs and true convictions.
We would like to thank Jacky, for allowing these Salsa Ladies to be here and we honored our word to help support the economy of this site, when it was asked. We are certain that she knows we were true to our commitment.
We will be posting on another site, which welcomes us with open arms, instead of being challenged with some award winning writers, which may think that perhaps our story is not good enough or needs to be re-written.
Sincerely,
Lu & Marsh
I hae been a reader on this site for several yrs. I must say over the last months there has been a lessening of interest on my part. Realizing that writers have lives and this is an aside, I truly understand the need to take a break. Since the new mission statement,and discounting the politics going on, I must say I have been re charged and am excited every day to sign on. I realize that readers have diff interests,but there is a feeling on my part that there is a resurgence on the part of the writers to display there hugh talents – and for me that is a wonderful thing for which I am very grateful. I don’t know whether I’ve expressed how I feel clearly, but my hope is that everyone can, take a breath, cool down and and simply know what a blessing it is for us readers to have each and every writer in our heart.
Alrightly. Let’s got on my soap box now.
I am so glad to hear that some of the great writers are coming back. Nice to see Ally back in the saddle for this ride.
I have been on much of a haitus and many of you may not even have read any of my work.
As for the Mods. I rarely use the message boards and what not. But I really don’t think its far to boot some people who have been giving their time so freely just to give it to someone else.
Chicki was one of my biggest supports when I started out. She stood behind me and gave me advice and I just think is is amazing. I don’t think it’s far the stuff is getting stripped from her, especially spot light that we did. That was a freaking blast. She spear heading that thing like there was no tomorrow. PMing me to make sure it was still a good week for me to do it.
CHICKI YOU ARE AMAZING AND WE LOVE YOU ANYWAY.
I have contacted Jacky by PM.
My main objection to the PMs and Gmails I received were because Jwet said ‘I was spouting lies’ and continued correspondence on well past the point of reasonableness…
Mods/Admin, I object strenuously to the fact that thanks to Jwet I am now privy to all the personal bs that went down some years back between ONE OF THE OTHER MODS and Chicki. Your personal lives are none of my business and should never have been brought into any discussion with me.
Plus other allegations against Chicki smacked of paranoia and were very very serious-I have sent those to Chicki for Chicki to do what Chicki sees fit. It is afterall her reputation that has been besmirched.
In the meantime, I don’t like the fact that I was harassed, attempts were made by the reveal of personal stuff and allegations against Chicki to manipulate me to change my loyalty to her. Let me say, my loyalty to Chicki was all about her loyalty to me as a new and developing writer. We never had any kind of a personal or off the site relationship BUT if I was Chicki and these allegations were made against me-I’d be counting on support and I’d be looking at taking serious action.
I have asked Jacky to STOP Jwet and for a public apology on this site for the harassment etc that I am feeling and I have told her that I will be taking down my stories.
I just do not understand why a person cannot accept another’s right to have a different opinion (s). Jwet you cannot bully me into accepting your opinion and the allegations you made against Chicki are too damned serious to ignore. You introduced (for me) a sinister element into the debate.
I question Jwet’s judgment and doubt that of the gang of 6.
Let me say, I came into this debate not because of Chicki or Ness originally, I came because someone totally unrelated sent me a PM with a comment about what was my opinion about all the hoopla over the re-launch. At that time I didn’t even know a re-launch had taken place but being a curious person I cam e to look and entered what I thought was a freedom of speech debate.
Much love to all my supporter. You warm my heart.
To the new writers whom I have supported, I continue to support u. I have let u know that.
Jacky as I said to u in the PM, u have this MISSION STATEMENT but no consequences for those who step over the boundary lines.
Chicki has often suggested that I stay free from the “drama” that can often sprout up on community websites, but over the years it wasn’t always easy. I would ask Jacky to give me the respect and brief time for me to express my final words on this site.
Many of you know, many of you may not have. In 2005 I met this amazing woman on this website. From the moment I encountered her in the chat room, I found her to be a deeply passionate woman who was both humorous and fiery. I found her to be a strong person, who held some strong convictions. I’ve said it before, that she is not perfect, and she would be the first to tell you that herself (and probably she has, more than once in her long – winded author notes). Our love story began on this site, in the very first chat room. Our relationship was also tested on this site, but we endured and moved on. Over the years it grew, and through her author notes and my comments, her readers came along on our journey of love. The sense of community was amazing. Was it free of cliques or conflict? Never, but that might have been because there were less women on the site too, LMAO. More women = more conflict at times, we can all get a little emotional eh?
All jokes aside, this site meant so much to both of us. I might have been more in the background but it doesn’t mean it meant any less.
I shared her with you, all of you. She was with you, and you may have been able to get a pretty good sense of who Chicki was, but there are some that never gave her that opportunity, because they were too busy listening to a few individuals who felt they needed to go on the offense and begin a smear campaign, or align themselves with other “popular’ members of the site for whatever reason. It’s a shame they never took the time to get to know her for themselves, as they have lost a special opportunity to have had their lives touched. I am not here to put her on a pedestal and make her a saint, because she would be the first to protest that and opt for a pair of horns instead, LMAO.
For a moment, I’m going to roast her – let you know a few small things that might bring a smile your way.
1. Change doesn’t sit so well with Chick. She tends to like routine. She tends to be anal about a schedule. You can imagine one night, while in bed (I’m not turning an NC17 so relax), she opened a PM from the site and said “Oh shit, so and so just told me the last minute they can’t be in the Author Spotlight, and it’s the night before! Now I have to go and change the icon, the thread, the schedule…” I couldn’t help but find it amusing, watching as she was now ‘forced’ to face change.
2. Chicki always felt that when you leave something, you leave it better than how you found it. Over the years, as some have already shared, she became a mentor to so many new authors. She did ** most ** all of this privately, without any bells and whistles, by editing hundreds of chapters for those with language barriers, or who just found it difficult to express themselves. She did ** some ** of this publicly, by commenting on their story, and then I would chuckle when she would read an author note in which a author said something in the likes of “Oh my god, Chicki I can’t believe you posted a comment to me!” I would chuckle because she would shake her head and say, “don’t they know I put my pants on the same way as them?” She never wanted to be an icon. She never asked to be one of the best authors ( in my opinion). She never wanted to be an “Eight” time award winning author. In truth, I recall the day she was upset over an upcoming award period, and she said to me that she didn’t want to be considered. She felt that her length of time on the site already created an unfair imbalance, and wanted someone more new, with less established readers, to be considered. Chicki sent Jacky a message, a message she still has no doubt, because that is another thing about her, she kept EVERYTHING over the years, you know a little pack rat, LMAO. She sent Jacky a message asking that she take her name off the ballot, she didn’t want to be considered. Jacky had said she wouldn’t, because the readers had nominated her, and therefore she ended up on the ballot. In a way, Chicki’s hands were tied, but she felt a sincere wish to have others considered and not herself. What did the Oh Brilliant One do? She went to her author notes and requested that NO ONE vote for her! LMAO! You see, this is “not” a woman who has a big head. This is not a woman who ever felt the oxygen of the site was fed solely by her. She realized that it was necessary to try to make things ** AS EQUAL ** in an unequal world.
Yes, for about 5 and a half years, I lent her to you. She came into your lives, as have all the other authors on this site and others, and if there is one thing I know for sure, that is she left a mark on a number so vast, that I don’t think it can be measured. If you only knew the e-mails she received over the years; one was from a reader who was dealing with an uncle battling alcoholism, Broken Trust had given her hope. There was another young woman who had identified with Tina in No Other Love, because she was living under the roof of an authoritarian father and was able to find hope there. Then there was September 11th. That took balls. The majority of people thought it was done with ultimate kindness, respect, and delicacy. There were some who felt it was over the top, and went beyond criticizing the story to bashing her character. I remember it being a challenge for her, one of the only stories that challenged her to keep her focus on where ** she ** wanted to take it, and not be swayed by some of the negativity. One day, she had a tear coming down her face. I asked what was wrong. She said read this. It was an Email from a reader who lost her partner in the September 11th attacks, and although the context of that Email was between the two of them, the message was of full support, respect and admiration for how genuine and carefully crafted the story was. The only thing I will share, is that this woman said that for the first time since the tragedy of losing her lover and lifetime partner, she felt peace and comfort. Through the story, feeling the turmoil and angst, re-living the day, but having it end with a message of hope, of love, and of peace, she felt a warmth that she never felt when she reflected on that day. Can you imagine having the worse day of your life, somehow effected by a strangers written words? If Chicki walks away with only ** that ** one thing in the 5 1/2 years in sharing her life with this community, the fact that she helped ease what could have been lifetime pain for that single individual, then she left this place better than how she had found it, and in a Sinatra way, she did it her way.
Yep, for 5 1/2 years I lent her to you… Jacky, thank you for relieving her of her Moderator duties and giving her back to me. It means more time together.
I love you Chicki.
Ness
I have watched this unfold over the last few days and cannot believe that Rau is being bullied, that’s something that usually happens in a school playground not on a website for supposed adults.
I can’t sit here relatively silent anymore and watch someone who is a dear friend being assassinated on this site, publicly or behind the scenes or by watching people being bullied into turning against her.
I agree with Ness that Chicki has been a stalwart on this site. She has helped so many people, many of whom are in a better place in their life because her stories or authors notes have made them see something for the first time.
If this character assassination continues I urge Chicki to seek legal advice in order to stop it.
Like many others I thought this site was a place for us all to come together, support and help one another. This is proving to be not so. I assume, maybe stupidly, that people had the freedom on this site to say what they felt as long as it didn’t hurt anyone else or was rude in any way. This obviously isn’t the case and I sit Rau as an example of this. She doesn’t deserve to be victimised by anyone let alone a moderator. The site was meant to be neutral and about our love of the L Word, but I fear this is so not the case because it appears that it is going to be biased towards the opinions of the moderators and if their views are shared by everyone, the people who don’t share them will be picked on.
Rau I admire your strength to stand up and be counted and not adhere to the bullies opinions. Chicki and everyone who have voted with their feet and left the site, I applaud you for having the courage of your convictions and have stuck by your beliefs.
This site was once a lively, happy place and I fear it no longer is.
Great. This is really and truly great.
Now, in addition to being dismayed at the cascading events triggered by the re-launch, I now need to worry that the information I shared in my Author Notes, PMs and emails will be used against me.
I am very fortunate because I am “out” to my family and at work, and I live where being gay is not illegal. That is NOT true for many on this site.
Since several have mentioned this, I will add to the discussion. Chicki was the only present or past mod who reached out to me when I was a fledling writer. Of the new mods, only one left more than one comment, while another left one. Any comment from any of them would have been a thrill and a part of me interpreted their silenxe as a judgment on the quality of my story-telling.
Of the many things I hope will be a part of the changes, the mods must make it a priority to encourage new writers. New writers = new content = more readers.
I will miss the Salsa Aunties and their kind and generous comments to my stories.
You can toss and turn it as much as you like, Chicki was the backbone of this site. You could look left, right, up or down, wherever you looked she was there. As a writer, leaving comments, on the board in so many threads. Always encouraging people not only visable for everyone but also personal in pm’s and mails.
But this is not all about Chicki, this is about all the other mods who unfortunately were sacked too. «Veni vidi vici», I came, I saw, I conquered….well here it is I came “back”, I saw, I conquered. I think about people like Dani F who dedicated less visable their time and their life to this site.
What I want to say to those mods, readers and writers that were forced to leave because they couldn’t live anymore with how they were treated, THANK YOU! To those mods thank you because you made this site what it was until a week ago. To those readers thank you for reading and commenting…because without you this site would be dead already like so many others. And finally to those writers, thank you for taking me away from reality in times when I couldn’t face that anymore. THANK YOU, YOU ROCK!!!
I thought I had said all I was going to say about all this upheaval a few days ago. I was disappointed in one of the new mods who bashed this site elsewhere, and stated what I had to say. I’m over it now because the alternative is too ridiculous to contemplate. What’s done is done.
But now, all these posts about a former mod being slandered all over the place? I don’t think most of us who just read the stories here would have even known about it if it weren’t for the defenders! The publicity for this slander came from them. And a defender being harassed by a new mod? It just goes on and on. I feel badly for anyone who has been mistreated. I TAKE NO SIDE! I love the stories of all the people of whom I’m referring by no name. Anybody who has read these posts knows exactly who the players are on both “sides.”
Which brings me to my reason for posting. (Granted, I try to stay out of this part of the site…but it’s like a train wreck and can’t stop myself for more than 2 or 3 days at a time.) What is the point of all this trash talking? Are we supposed to want the site to fail now that many have pulled their stories? People have been complaining that many of the new mods hadn’t posted in forever….but I’ve been a follower of 2 of the “defenders” stories and one of them hadn’t posted for MONTHS AND MONTHS…and the other for almost a year! (They’ve since taken their stories with them) and I wouldn’t EVER think badly of them….yet people use that stick to bash the new mods/old writers. The defenders are starting sound to like bullies. I thought 3 times before beginning this post, out of fear that I might be painted with the “brush of betrayal.” I still read and ENJOY their stories on the other site. Will I be allowed to comment on them now or am I betrayer? I guess I’ll find out, if I comment on their stories.
From what I gather from their posts they want apologies, justice, affirmation that they and their friends were treated badly. But any public condemnation for any of this ill treatment, again I say, could be because the defenders made it so by posting it all over here.
So now….what is to be assumed about me? Which side am I on? I’m on the side of making this an economically viable site. Because when that stops…this site will surely be gone quickly after. There are new threads to discuss everyone’s issues. Talk, talk, talk….it makes me dizzy. I can’t even believe MY post is this long…I never talk this much. Apparently, there ARE people who can!
I just want to read stories…I’m enjoying ALL the writers who have been here. No matter how long it takes them to update their stories. And I’m sad for the ones who left. I wish no one ill will….I just want the proverbial “bleeding” to stop.
And again I say…..I’m on NO side….I just want a drama free place to come read my stories on. Does it make me selfish? I hope not, but I’m pretty sure there will some who think I am.
If someone has an issue with my post…and wants to inform me calmly and without malice….you can PM me. Otherwise…Peace out!
To Vegas513 – here,here. I understand what you are saying, and I hope your words are taken to heart by all concerned. I think the more discussion, the more angry people get. Would it be possible to continus without more comments, and hopefully in time those involved, can somehow discuss there problems ina private and thoughtful way.I’m afraid if it continues, people will just get exasperated and forget the whole thing, which would be a tragedy.
Thanks Viceroy….Luckily there are still MANY wonderful wrtiers here and I just love their storie. Namely, Dazed and Amused, Linbooks, BnTinmyhead, LadyHawke84, BatnAA_2009, Icantthinkof1. ParisPal, ILuvMuzic, Atlas Undone, Grindright, Love girls like Bette, journy1962. They are obviously free to remove their stories…but I would hope no pressure is being brought to bear in having them participate in the big exodus. This site is more thank a handfful of writers and I’m commenting on the group that has “re-arrived” and they group who left. I think we’ll be left with more than 6 writers and a hanful of readers. I just hope people calm down soon. Because I think THIS is what would a hold a new writer back from posting. And that would be a loss for everyone.
I think it is important to respect authors who decide to leave with their material, and not dishonor their departure and decision with simple sentences of “taking their toys and going home.” I believe that every writer who writes, includes a piece of themselves in the body of the story. It may be a reflection, a character, an event, or struggle they are facing in their life. It is for that reason, that the writer holds their writing close to their heart, and should they no longer feel comfortable with where their writing is placed, I applaud their courage to take it with them as they continue on their life journey.
It is naive to insinuate that any author is being pressured to remove or move their material. I made a personal decision to remove my stories because it was the right thing for me to do, independent of any influence by other writers who made similar decisions. I also would not want anyone to presume that because I am a writer who chose this path, that I influenced or that I expect a similiar decision to be made by those who follow my stories or those that I have become close with.
Contrary to some belief that there are individuals that might like to see this site fail; that falls in the category of false accusations along with other derogatory comments which have been made in regards to those of us who have pulled our stories.
In opposition to what some have come to think, Chicki never wanted any harm to this site. When she left, she left quietly, taking what was hers and asking nothing in return. In my opinion, she was treated disrepsectfully as were all the Moderators, and no regard was given to her consistent efforts to promote this site through Fan Fic, Moderation, and financial contributions to the Premier membership that were not required of the Moderators. Just today, on our way to the beach, she spoke of what I found to be incredible ideas that have the potential of correcting many of the problems with the site, helping to ease the tensions, and promote member involvement. As she recognizes that there are many individuals out there who rely on this site for social needs and personal growth as we have all needed at some point in our lives. She wasn’t exiled. She chose to leave, because it was the right thing for her to do, and she did it with class. Over the last week I have gained even more respect for her, but today in particular, when after all she has been through over the years with particular personalities who have made it a group mission to bring her down with some of the most OBSCENE FABRICATIONS OF THE TRUTH, she continued to share her feelings for her readers, her thoughts on the community, and ideas where even in this time of crisis on the site, people could come together to increase member growth and innovations which would strengthen the financial stability of the site and provide longevity. That is not an individual who hopes to see this site fail.
Yo, what happened to the mission statement and the comment thread that was linked on the front of the fan fic pages and as a news story here?
http://news.l-word.com/2010/03/vision-and-mission-of-l-word-com/
It gets a 404 Not Found Error now…
Um… yeah. I see the new, comment-free link now, though.
I… don’t get it, but I really sorta totally do. :lol:
Happy Easter for those that celebrate it.
Peace out. :)
Wow, I just waded thru all that and I must say, “Holy mother Frakker, Batman!”
I know there is a lot of bad blood between a lot of people. At one point and time, there was bad blood between Jacky and I. Hell, I was banned from the site. Yet, here I am again, oui? Now, all this bad blood is out in a public forum. The behavior that everyone who has written a cross word about someone else is deplorable. Utterly uncalled for. We fight EVERY day for equality in the work place, in our lives, the right to marry and the right to fuck who we wanna fuck w/o someone telling us its wrong. Yet, here we are, in fighting, about Fan Fiction! About a site, remember that behind each ”call name” is a person.
This is not about Chicki (sorry, Ness the long winded comment didn’t need to be posted here, sorry! It only egged ppl on to pick *sides* of which there should be NONE), about Sea, about Rau or any one else. Do you know what its about? Do any of you know what this is *really* about??
The Creativity that this site has brought forth in each and every WRITER and READER here. It is about seeing the survival of this site. Of working towards something better and bigger. Jacky has gathered those of who she trusts, and feels she needs to do that. I have always encouraged Jacky to open the site up to more things, creative fiction, other FF’s. I want more ppl to post, I want a forum for writing so large that it reaches every person on The Planet (pun intended). Why take your stories down? In spite? The only one you hurt is yourself and your loyal reader.
Put this petty merde aside and WRITE. Wash it away with a pressure washer and READ. Cease the hate, don’t we have enough of that in our every day lives?
Enough already.
theJadedRogue
aka Janet Marie
“Why take stories down?” Because when you do not trust someone, you separate from them PERIOD, end of story. You pointed out that Jacky gathered people *she* trusts, and she separated from all the old mods which from what you are saying, implies she did not trust them.
So, if writers do not trust someone, particularly if some are Premier members who paid for a service they did not receive, then they too have the right to separate. Trust has been broken.
It was interesting that the post that referenced a class action lawsuit by Premier Members who didn’t get the service they had paid for just suddenly disappeared. Where is the trust there?
The same comment thread which referenced of a new moderator who in the past has threatened a member with a lawsuit because she felt that a members personal experience hit so close to home, that she struck back with blackmailing the individual to remove the posts or get sued. Again I ask, where is the trust there? So much trust is being put in particular individuals but none to the site in general.
Furthermore, where is the safety in a site where members receiving warnings because they are not writing glorious comments about the changes, and being threatened with suspension of their account?
You want me to believe that that is trust?
She gathers people who have abandoned the site and ranted their mouths off on other sites and THAT is bringing people together she trusts?
Kookamunga! What has happened to this site?
I was reading the comments here and on the boards, and wowza! Let me get this straight, no pun intended ladies :0)) This gang decided to leave this site when things weren’t going their way, some posted every so often, but they moved in a pack to other sites (actually seen them as a group on a few sites over the years). I’ve seen some, not all, bashing this site as recent as a few months ago. If you look at stories and comments, this group and a few other authors stick like a good tube of ELMERS GLUE but are transparent as SCOTCH TAPE. That isn’t an accusation, it’s a fact, go and look for yourself.
They move around the world wide web like a pack of wolves (good story on Fan Fic about wolves by the way…ummm maybe Spumoni’s? I’m not sure, but back to my point), it’s like they are looking for their next victim. It is painstaking to read a large number of authors who didn’t want to be part of a site now being run by this wild pack, who left and ended up being attacked one last time for their decision to leave. It is my own opinion that quite a few of those that left had been a part of this site and never turned their back on it, not once. This my fellow readers is the difference between a genuine and loyal member compared to a fair-weathered one. Even worse, this Elmer’s glue group returns not only as your writers, but the ones in charge of the site! Kookamunga!
I’ll be happy to get anyone in touch with a friend who is a lawyer and whom would represent a Class Action suit pro-bono, just drop me an email.
I’m also thinking of opening a website called L-Word-Dot-Com gone Mad where these issues can be discussed without censorship. What do you think?
Godspeed to those that left, you have a lot of integrity.
Cammy
Class suits! Jesus, what is it with these people!
No one could have said it better than JadedRogue. “Cease the hate. Enough already.”
I’m going to get my head chopped off here but —
Guys and Gals: It’s just fan fiction. I know it has changed the lives of many. I know it has touched the hearts of many. I know that it has given us strength and resolve in our own lives. But in the end, its only fan fiction. If you feel unwelcome, then I would say, pack your bags and go. But remember you are always welcomed back. tLW.com has never turned anyone away, to *my* knowledge.
Yes, I did say that Jacky gathered ppl she trusted for a relaunch – not only ppl she trusted, but ppl with a fresh outlook who might bring back the community of this site. Not the lil gangs/cliches/power houses, but a true community. It takes certain ppl to foster that, and those are the ppl who Jacky surrounded herself with. Is that wrong? Absolutely not. It is, after all is said and done, her site.
Not being a premiere member, might I ask what service it was that you were not given? The membership was a donation, in which, you were given, what? Remember, as a member you don’t ”own” the site, you are merely donating to keep it going…..
I realize that there are some ppl who will not do well with change. I know that some ppl feel as if they are being put out, cut out, lied too, and betrayed. While those feelings are valid, might I remind everyone that those are feelings and those do not always equate to facts. Could someone saying something one way be perceived in another way by someone else? Yes. Emotions are running high, and *tone* cannot be read in words. I encourage everyone to take a step back, reevaluate just what it is you are fighting for and about – is this truly a defining moment in your lives? Are we/you fighting for the sake of fighting? I don’t know what to say to anyone one of you but take a step back. Take a breath. Take a day or five to say, “Just what is *really* changing about a site I’ve loved for *X amount of time*?”
Cease the hate
Cease the fighting
Foster the love
Foster the creativity
tJR
aka Janet Marie
…and honor the truth!
Jo:
I don’t see how, at any point, was anyone dishonored. If a site owner wants changes, then changes should be made. If you own a car and wish to paint it LWord Pink, you will do so, you don’t need to have a committee approve that for you. You go to a shop, get the best ppl around and paint that puppy. The same is said about this site, the sole owner of this site is Jacky, she has gone to her paint shop, gotten their opinion and has decided on a color. ‘Nuff said.
Perception of truth is each their own. There is no absolute truth in the world, only versions and perceptions of such truth. Same as how some take the bible and use it to slur and banish us from their graces, we are abominations, but decide to forget about divorce and shell fish, etc. Those are versions of the truth. I know I’m late to the game in this discussion – only because I allowed myself time to digest all that was going on.
I do *know* this: Jacky wants only what is best for the site. Period.
Foster the love, ppl, foster the love….
theJadedRogue
aka
Janet Marie
Although JadedRogue is late in the game of this discussion, in my “perception” she is one of the few who stepped back and calmly assessed the chaos, incivility and high-strung drama that occurred the past days.
What she has written in all her postings maybe her perceptions, her own personal observations however she has articulated these same observations going through my mind. I agree in the majority of JadedRogue’s arguments (what a fine sense of observation and keen ability of cutting through all the clutter or morass of accusations — getting to the point and reminding us of what is really important). While the others got lost in their arguments defending their “perceived hurts, slights” and egos — to the point of taking things personally and disgustingly going into character assassination (SurfsUp’s post not sure if it’s still here).
At the end of the day, what it boils down to is that Jacky is doing her best to keep up the site to ensure that the wonderful stories will remain available to its writers and readers. What is really important is maintaining/sustaining the fine collection of L-Word stories located in one place and enjoyed by a community of dedicated writers and readers. So why is it so difficult for others to understand that? Remember our focus will always be the fascinating stories and NOT the personalities behind the stories.
My observation is that sense of “entitlement” that others have stated. As JadedRogue mentioned several times — Jacky owns the site and she is free to make changes, and it’s her call on how she wants these changes implemented. Jacky only erred when she magnanimously tried to include everyone asking for recommendations to make the site better. That sense of “entitlement” and democratic process reared their ugly heads to the point of abuse. Every move, every simple decision has to be made known to everyone and blessed by them before anything can be implemented. That is ridiculous! We as writers and readers – we do not own this site nor are we “shareholders” as premier members. There were no shares of stocks that we purchased for investment. JadedRogue was correct that for a reasonable fee what we bought into was a subscription for premier membership. So enough about owning a piece of this site and that we have a say in everything it does.
Let us all sit back and assess the aftermath and ask ourselves “What did we accomplish?” Was it for the good of the site? Or was it just to vent out my ego at the expense of the site. This is where truth comes out — your version and perception of that truth, as JadedRogue clearly explained. Now it’s up to you what version you see!
Let’s all get along, life is too short — enjoy life! It is the story and not the personality behind the story.
Thanks to JadedRogue for writing about her observations rather than joining in the “free-for-all” wordwars.
DreamW
I have a love of fan fiction but only as a reader. I have read a lot of stories over the past 3 years and once in a while I read the forums.
The site has been a nice place to stop by and lose myself in after a difficult day at work. I am use to reading authors that have been devoted to posting regularly so I don’t have to wait too long for the next update. The people who returned and who are posting now, I can’t say I’m familiar with because I have not seen them on the fan fic page at all. In their absence, I have enjoyed BnTinmyhead, AmandaMG, Bisexi, ParisPal, and a couple of authors who have left the site over the last few weeks.
I read through all the posts and can see that there are hurt feelings, and I sense that some people posting are friends with former members and returning members. I’m not friends with any one person so I feel I can offer my own view as someone who isn’t close to anyone on the site, except my girlfriend who reads the stories too.
I see it like this. You have a group of people who stopped posting here over the last few years. It doesn’t seem that all of them did (I was nosey and looked back), but there were months of absences and for some it was years. It looks like they went other places to post, individually and more often as a group. I guess that is okay but for some members they felt annoyed (maybe because they tried to pass it off as not having a lot of time to post on this site, but did other places), I don’t have a problem that they posted somewhere else.
Here is my problem: I’ve been on this site as a regular reader for the last three years and my girl too. I have come to enjoy a lot of the writers here and many do not have award graphics near their name. DreamW says that you read for the story and not the author personality, but I partially disagree because there are some people I would not want to read a thing they had to say, OJ Simpson, dirty politicians. I think that some readers will read someone not just because they like the style but because of also the image of the individual they have formed.
My guess is that the members who are annoyed, like me, are annoyed because there are things that are perceived whether true or not.
You hear there is strength in numbers so it isn’t out of the ordinary that a negative perception was created, one being that this group sought fame and power as a provision of their return. They didn’t return as individuals over time which strengthens the perception that it was rather calculated. They didn’t return just to write as they once did, but to also moderate the boards too which gives a perception that their motive was beyond the scope of contributing to a wider fan fic archive, but to return as a group with more power than other members. As part of their return, they brought back elements of the site that has proven to be destructive and at times isolated individuals: the writing awards and the winner graphics that go along with them. I believe if they returned as individuals over time and not as a group effort; if they didn’t advocate for the awards and winner graphics to return along with their own return; if all six of them did not take over the whole discussion board moderation as well, it would have looked less self serving. I have to agree with a lot of what has been said on this.
These actions to self promote their position on the fan fic page with their award icons near their name, and taking over the entire discussion board, all have the appearance of self serving behavior and does not speak of community. If the core desire was to foster a sense of community (in our unequal world as it is), they would have returned quietly, individually, and contributed like everyone else does here whether they are a reader like me or a writer.
The fog has cleared, and people can come in and take sides, and allies can try to put a flattering spin on this, but you can’t change that the six were happy to return under the conditions they did, and only after the aftermath and strong feedback from discontent members did they opt to open a discussion thread and talk about a possible chat room forum to discuss how to reverse the damages they had already made.
I have nothing against any one of them, and I’m not in some fan club with anyone from the site. I’m just a single person who has logged on every day to lose myself in another place.
I don’t like when a group of six attempts to speak for a membership of 60,000, and worse, that the webmaster is manipulated into believing that this missing six suddenly know what the site needs to be bigger and better. I could be wrong. It could be that bringing back winner graphics so that these people and other winners stand out as being better and stronger writers from less talented writers does foster community. It could be that bringing back awards so that ego’s can get even more inflated is the right approach to build a bigger site of members. It could be that turning the fan fic side of the house upside down and upsetting writers and readers is the correct path to take. It might even be safe to say that having the same six people as moderators and now taking over the discussion board of the website so now they can have more power and authority as to how and what happens on the site really is the right direction.
I’m sorry if I am starting to take a sarcastic turn, but I just don’t see how or why these six people who I consider to be strangers, were given more respect to what they wanted instead of the 54,000 other members, and to make it worse, the webmaster bought into it!
I’m sorry if any of the returning people feel offended, but I am only sharing what is on my mind.
I hope I don’t get beat up by their allies for my opinion, because it’s only my opinion.
Has anyone one thought that perhaps the WebMistress is the one who wanted these things back? Take the FF Awards, at one time were huge. Everyone loved ’em. It became divided later, not at first. Being an unwanting winner, I remember the joy ppl took in have that icon next to their names. (Not me, I’m Bill Cosby).
Blaming (and I use that word loosely) the 6 for anything is odd, since they have nothing to do with the changes, they are helping the leader, the WebMistress with the changes to her site. They didn’t think them up, they are only helping to carry them out.
Tibette4Eva, your feelings are totally valid, but I encourage you to not leave the site, sit back, let things settle. There has been upheaval before, I know, I was at the center of it once, unwittingly. I know you haven’t the foggiest who I am, since I think the last time I posted was over 3 years ago. I have written over 5,000 pages of LWord Fan Fiction (on MSWord). More than many, less than some. My life has changed and I no longer have time to write fan fiction, if I did, I’d return here. I do read, silently, as when I comment I am barraged with emails and PM’s asking if I’m going to post a new story. I still come to the site, and enjoy whoever is posting. I miss some of the stories that are gone, but as a fellow writer, I understand why they left. Their stories are, their stories, where and how they share them is their decision.
The feelings seem to be that these six went to the site owner and said, “We will come back and if you do this, this, this,” where as to my understanding, it was the opposite, the site owner went to them. If you don’t like the way your workers are performing if you own a business, you fire them. That is all that Jacky did, with her site, which she owns. (Sorry Jacky, I’m speaking of you as if I know you, which I don’t, I’m connecting the dots) Jacky asked them (The Fab 6) for help, I don’t think there was some under the table negotiation (and I’m not friends with any of the Six, I have only spoken to one of them actually, and that was via comments on my stories, years ago).
Those who left, left for their own reasons. Right, wrong, snap decision or not, that is their choices. If they wish to come back, I’m sure they will be welcomed back with open arms. If not, the loss is ours and theirs, no one has won. If anything, much as been loss.
When I came to this site, there was 3 pages of Fan Fictions. 3 Pages. Now there are hundreds and more pages. Whatever it takes to keep those pages here, I am behind. Period. 100%. Hurt feelings. Hurt egos, I care not. I want this archive to stay put and be accessible to everyone.
JadedRogue
aka
Janet Marie
Tibett4eva no one is going to beat you up because you are stating your opinion. I will however remind you of your own words… just because you create a perception of something doesn’t make it true.
I too have read all the comments and shake my head in disappointment at how many people read words written by others who were not even involved with the changes to the site, and believe those words as if they were the absolute truth. I have been deeply dismayed with how many people have jumped to conclusions…most of which are not true, and then have lambasted us with these wrong conclusions.
JadedRogue is right. We didn’t go to Jacky and ask or tell her to make changes…we are here because she e-mailed me and asked for help. The site has been floundering and she asked me for help in reviving it. I in turn e-mailed a group of talented women I know and asked them if they would be willing to help come up with ideas to keep the site alive. They all said yes even though they haven’t been as active on the site for various reasons, even though they all have had differences with the site owner at one time or another, they all believe in this site and were willing to come together to help in whatever way they could. That’s what families do…we may fight…we may disagree…we may not talk with each other for awhile, but when the chips are down we come together.
This wasn’t about ego…it wasn’t about thinking we were better than others…it wasn’t about power…it wasn’t about taking over…it wasn’t about any of the things you and others have listed in your comments. It was simply about a group of women who had been ASKED to help, and who said yes.
As for becoming moderators, again we were ASKED to be moderators to bring fresh faces to the forums…the forums that everyone will agree were deathly quiet. The intent was to have us as moderators until a new group of people could be found, or who would volunteer to take our places. There was no “manipulation” of the ‘webmaster’, and I have to admit that comment offended me. As you stated, you don’t know us, yet you assumed that we as a group somehow took control of Jacky’s mind, forcing her to make these changes to HER site. If you knew any of us, or Jacky at all you would know how far from the truth your assumption was.
Again, we didn’t come here telling her how it will be…WE WERE ASKED FOR OUR HELP. I can only hope that the mods who come after us have thick skin, especially if they are readers such as yourself. It has been made very clear to all of us that in order to be a mod you have to be someone who is well known and active on the site. Because, if you are someone who is quieter, or someone like me who use to post stories, but hasn’t for a while, well it has been made very clear that we all don’t matter. Our opinions don’t matter. Our ideas don’t matter. It’s been made clear that if we haven’t been vocally active recently on the site, then we must be here for no other reason than to bully everyone around. It seems to me that the only thing that matters to a whole lot of you is your assumptions and perceptions…the actual truth doesn’t seem to be on anyone’s list of what truly matters.
You said you don’t know me…or us…well, I don’t know you either. What difference does that make? We are all members of this site, and I believe that we ALL matter…whether you are a member who quietly reads and never makes a comment…or if you comment on every story, write stories, and post on the forums…we ALL matter.
If the owner of this site asks me to be a moderator on her site, I have just as much right to say yes as those who have been more active the last couple years.
And when the owner of the site contacts me and asks for help, my opinion matters just as much as yours, or any other of the 60,000 members you spoke of.
I answered the call to help because whether Jacky and I agree about everything or not, this site matters to me. The thousands of women who have read my stories over the years matter to me. And while some will disagree with my opinions, my ideas, or may not like my writing…their words of attack come from a negative place that I refuse to go. All those who get off on attacking my character even though none of them know me, can continue to do so. I have been a member of this site since 2004, and I am not going anywhere.
TheJadedRogue said it best when she said (and I am paraphrasing) that what matters the most is keeping this site up and running, moving forward with new ideas, providing a safe and fun place for women (and a few men) of all over the world to come and connect.
That’s what I am striving to do. I can only hope that since you don’t know me, you will have an open heart and mind, and give the changes a chance. If you still don’t like them say something, but please don’t feed off the false assumptions and attacks of those whose only intent is to hurt. We can work together to make this site a place we all want to visit, whether it be to read, write, or make connections.
Peace,
Seahurst
JR, you are right that the site owner has the ability and authority to rid herself of moderators, and the current ones will also be vulnerable to an sudden termination as well. However, please do not assume that all moderators were not doing their job. All anyone has to do is go to the threads and find that Chicki has been continuously active in closing duplicate threads, moving topics to the correct place, identifying spammers that have weaseled their way in, all on a “daily” basis. I am in her life on a daily basis, and have seen the time she had personally devoted to moderating among other aspects on the site. There was no valid reason in my eyes why she was not retained as an active Moderator, except for reasons which have more to do with personalities. You also state in your last thread you do not know any of the six, but in previous threads you have shared you close with Seahurst. Which is it? In the last post you indicate you don’t know Jacky, yet you have been in touch over the last several years quite a bit and have shared in past posts that you helped her create the Fan Fiction Awards even when you weren’t so happy about having them be part of a site. Again I ask, which is it?
Seahurst, you make it sound like you welcome everyone, when in the past there are men on this site who you did not make feel welcomed and questioned their presence. You have had issues with a former writer/member and have gone so far as to communicate with others your feelings hoping to sway them against that former writer/member. You have shared your feelings with the the site owner (copies of some of that communication has gotten back to her so I have seen them), so please do not try to come on here and make off that your actions are all pure when you have had personal gripes against some people on this site. The facts speak for themselves (written communication), and because of your personal biases I do not feel you and a few others should have ever accepted returning as Moderators. You want to give life to the boards? Participate period! Why the power? You want to contribute to a big fan fic archive? Write, period!
You and others want people to think you have cared about this site, when over the past few years you pretty much abandoned it – a fact. If you cared about your readers, and put personalities aside (and the fact that a former author/member was moderating and writing and you didn’t want to be in her company) you would have been here contributing to Fan Fic and the forums period.
No, I do not know you, but I know of you only by that which has been written by you. I know what I have seen in writing and what I see is that you say one thing and do another.
I don’t really care if Jacky went to the six people or not. The fact remains, you didn’t care about the archives, the readers or anyone else when you all disappeared. Most all of you posted on other websites, rather than this on. That was a move to show your opposition to this site, and I believe it was both Gumby and AllyEmmerson who expressed just that on another website. Please, don’t try to tell the members of this site that all of you honestly have cared all along, because some wouldn’t have been on other sites bashing this one, turned on their loyal readers on this site, or asked others to post to other sites. Had you remained loyal to your readers and the site itself, maybe the site owner would not have had to feel so desperate as to reach out to those who back stabbed her and ask that they help. If you were to have just thought more about your readers, than your personal gripes, you wouldn’t be under the scrutiny you are.
Spare us the excuses.
ZLFan: Let me preface this by saying, you seem to know a lot about me, and I don’t know an iota about you, so I’m at a disadvantage. Shoot me an email sometime, ask Chicki, she has it and sure she’ll share it w/you. Bette yet, here is is: thejadedrogue@gmail.com – but because I’m sharing my email doesn’t mean we are close, ok? But please drop me a line if you have any other questions.
You do say a few things, that I’d like to point out, that in your perspective, from your view – but those aren’t the views of everyone. What you are doing here is perpetuating the hate, continuing the vicious cycle of anger and bad feelings that have happened. I’ve been encouraging everyone to step back and let some of this ride out. There is nothing anyone can do to change anything, in the end, this is not our decision, it is the owners.
Now for some clarity: I did help Jacky (6 years ago, maybe more?) name the FF Awards (But I was friends with Ruya, who was the site designer at the time, which is why I was helping with the award naming.) I don’t know if you’d state that I’m close to Jacky, she’s the owner of the site of which I’ve posted hundreds of chapters of FF. We’ve talked via email a few times, especially when she invited me back to the site after being banned (And ion ago). I did say I didn’t want to speak for her, or as if I knew her, because really, I don’t know her. And I never want anyone to feel as if I am speaking for them. Ever. Not sure what you’ve heard, ZLFan, or from who, but you can ask me, I’m the source(Email above, I await the email with a grin and a wicked wink). I’ve never met Jacky face to face, as Chicki and Ness have, and a google of others, even you perhaps? I don’t know. Again, this becomes about Chicki, when it’s not about anyone one person, it’s about the survival of this site. That’s the whole point in the changes, the survival of the site. Seeing this place stay alive. If it dies, where do all the stories, comments go? Away into the ether of cyberland? I don’t want to see that happen, and I don’t know anyone who does.
I want you to think for just a moment, a few years ago, I was BANNED from this site, would I be *Friends* with someone who did that? Yes, I’ve gotten over it, Jacky and I came to an understanding that we see things differently, but I’m not a numbers puller like some on the site are. I want what she wants, to keep this site going! I personally don’t like the awards, because I don’t want that frakking icon next to my name, period! I don’t want it because when it was begun, it was great, but then it began to be a popularity contest. Oh and I won one, so I’m “one of them” and I have never been a them, I’ve always been a me. Get rid of the Awards and the Stars. That is my thoughts, but it was great, once. It could be again, who knows.
I never said Chicki, or anyone else wasn’t doing their job! I wish people would read the words on the page and not between the nonexistent lines, but as an owner of something, you have the ability to change what you want, that is what Jacky is doing. Why is it that difficult to accept? Sure, it is hard to deal with being fired (if that’s what you call it), but life goes on. I’m sure ppl will find a way to direct their newly found time in a direction that is productive.
I have shared banter with Sea quite often, in fact, she’s the one of the reason that Collision Course (my FF) was written, to give Tina and Bette a happy ending, my way! Yet, there are many other writers who have talked to me, I don’t think that means we are, um, close. Do I talk to her? Not really. I don’t have her phone number, I don’t know where she lives. Have we exchanged emails? A few. But I exchange emails with a lot of ppl. I have Ness on my Yahoo, but not Seahurst, if that says anything to you. I’ve played Guitar Hero against Ness, but know nothing about Sea. Whose real name I don’t even know. I do have her on Facebook (and a plethora of other FF Writers) a new friend, who happens to like Jo Wheaton . I find it funny that is even a point. Ha – I don’t know where, ZLFan you got the feeling that I am close to Sea. I really, really don’t. I have read Sea’s FF, also, Chicki’s, Ness, Rau, Succulant and a bunch of others. Does that mean I’m close to them? I’m close to ONE person from this site, her name is MJ. And she’s not a writer, just a silent reader. She’s the ONLY person from this site that I have met in person, last summer, In New Hampshire.
I don’t feel the need to defend myself, just to clarify.
Does it matter if anyone bashed this site or not? Isn’t that a decision that Jacky has the right to make? Isn’t that her thing to deal with? What does it matter to anyone but Jacky? It certainly shouldn’t. If someone posted somewhere else, that is their choice, isn’t it? I didn’t know that we couldn’t post anywhere else, that sucks, since I figured I as a writer I could post wherever I wanted.
I feel, Z, that you are looking for a fight. Maybe you aren’t. I’m sorry, you won’t get that from me. Perhaps with someone else, but not me, I have no problems with what Jacky has done with her site. I simply have the privilege to post here, if I ever find that I have something new to add to the fray.
I hope everyone continues to come to the site, to see it thrive, to see it survive.
theJadedRogue
JanetMarie
JadedRogue/Janet Marie, i AM mj AND I AM NOT YOUR FRIEND. MD=SAME AS MJ FOR AT LEAST 5 YEARS AND IF YOU ARE REFERING TO SOMEONE ELSE PLEASE MAKE THAT CLEAR AS I AM NOT YOUR FRIEND AND NEVER WOULD LIKE TO BE A TRADER TO ME TRUE FRIENDS AND COMPAIONS THAT ALWAYS HAVE MY BACK NO MATTTER WHAT SO PLEASE DO NOT CONFUSE OR IMPLY THAT THIS MIGHT BE THE CASE. AS FAR AS THE NEW MOD GO I DO NOT TRUST ANY ONE OF THEM OR JACKY WITH MY FEELING OR THOUGHTS SO I HAVE CHOSEN TO STAY AWAY FROM THIS SITE AND WILL NOT RETURN EVER, THANK YOU FOR THE GOOD TIME BUT THAY ARE OVER AND SO ARE MY DONATIONS. KMA.
Um, the caps, totally inappropriate — and as my email is in my previous posting, I encourage you to use it if there is something you wish to direct towards me, this is not the appropriate forum for personal attacks. My friend’s name is MJ, or at least, her initials are MJ and since she values her anonymity , I use her initials. I know not of you, or know you – I didn’t realize that you were EXCLUSIVELY the only MJ on this site of well over 60,000 ppl. I have referred to her many times in my FanFics as MJ. Please, if by any means, I’ve harmed you in any way, I am sorry. Just FYI though the only *side* I am on is the sites. As in, keeping it open. I don’t know what other side you may well be referring too.
theJadedRogue
aka
Janet Marie
I’m bit confused here…again.
Well I thought let’s stay away here for awhile because I sorta kinda had it…I’m a peaceful woman afterall.
The JadedRogue came busted in on a white horse in shining armor to rescue those who seems to have lost their tongues temporary. The “warrior” speaks of “Are you looking for a fight?”…while I was under the impression that this was a discussion board. You’re not looking for a fight when you have another vision about certain things. You want to express what you feel and then await the reaction to that. It’s kind of a civilized way of conversation…at least that is what I thought.
“Um, the caps, totally inappropriate”…what’s inappropriate here is the sarcasm that’s in that sentence. I’m not saying that momadukes is completely in the right here. I’m sure that there are several MJ’s on the board but I can also understand that if you don’t want to be associated with certain people that you can get angry enough to show that with “capitals”. One uses sarcasm and other uses capitals, right?
This discussion here is about the “Big Changes Coming To L-Word.com!”, which means all aspects of it, right? Readers, writers, mods, people who left, people who came back, awards, icons….if nobody wanted to hear what we thought about that then this thread should never have been opened.
Well said.
On a side note.
The “Big Changes” were suppose to revive the site and make the discussion board more and fan fic archive thrive.
Since the changes:
Fan Fic total pages have been declining from over 2200 the day BEFORE the announcement was made, to 1939 today. I’m not statistician, but even with the addition of a couple of new writers and the Fab6 contributing, the archive is losing it’s stories and authors. At least before these “Big Changes” it may have been a bit slow on the site, but the archives remained in tact and the pages continued on the upscale. It appears there are about 15 chapters PER fan fic page. That is A LOT of chapters gone, and will take nearly a year for new authors and current authors to rebuild it back to just where it was the day before the announcement, let alone increase it beyond that.
The discussion board hasn’t come to life much more, except for the Fab6 participating more. There are a lot of spammers on the boards right now, and discussions that have gone FAR off topic without them redirecting – so while they may be contributing more to some discussions as board members, they aren’t doing the jobs of a moderator.
The awards return with the award icons which the majority on the site have not been pleased with.
Again I ask, how have all these “Big Changes” made the site better?
None of this is based on personal opinion by any means, as the things I have listed are things which are real data available to everyone.
The travesty is that even though the “Big Changes” put a lot of weight on the popularity of the returning six to spark this huge interest and catapult the site into stardom, it did just the opposite and everyone suffers now because of it. Worse is the webmaster doesn’t even care enough to acknowledge her decisions were wrong, and these six aren’t going to be the saviors of the site. She made all these decisions with the six members and the heck with the rest of the members, and then after the sh*t hits the fan, she only then begins to open threads to discuss it,. when even then some threads have only been open 24 hours for discussion while others have been open over a week. This gives the appearance that once the consensus (as small as it was when it came to tweeter) meets her own personal vision, the thread is closed and action taken. The twitter thread was open 24 hours and closed. The Fan Fic awards and icons open over a week and while the consensus is do away with both, it stays open. Why? Has it not met her own personal vision of bringing them back?
Again, these are not based purely on observation, but hard numbers and real data.
Came busting in a white horse?
Temporarily lost their tongues?
I am so writing those down for use someday, with a little tweaking of course.
thejadedrogue@gmail.com – If it’s not pertinent to the current discussion, let’s take this to email, or PM. That is my open forum. This, however, is not. This is a discussion about changes.
I have little, if nothing else, to say on the matter of the big changes (and won’t be posting again). I don’t own the site, neither does anyone else and if the web mistress decides to close it tomorrow, so it shall be. I’d like the fighting to stop and the creativity to reign (notice I use *I* and not *we*, I am speaking just for moi). Concentrate on controlling the things you can, and not the things you cannot, is something an instructor told me not to long ago.
I don’t know how many pages of FF there are, but has the traffic gone up? I don’t know, I’m not privy to those things, perhaps asking someone who is privy to it to disclose that information.
Anywho, do enjoy your day, as I have clinical prep and editing to do. Email is there if anyone else has any, er, problems with what I’ve said that isn’t relevant to the discussion at hand.
theJadedRogue
aka
Janet Marie
I have no problem with a little tweaking at all. English insn’t my native language, fyg. it’s Flemish a kind of Dutch if you like. I’m an autodidact in the English language and I’m sure I can learn a lot of you with or without sarcasm. But you are right, this isn’t the place for such futilities and I repeat my last paragraph from my previous post:
“This discussion here is about the “Big Changes Coming To L-Word.com!”, which means all aspects of it, right? Readers, writers, mods, people who left, people who came back, awards, icons….if nobody wanted to hear what we thought about that then this thread should never have been opened.”
I just returned from out of town and had hopes that this discussion would have died down! It seems the unfortunate reality here is that many of the “big changes” have negatively impacted the site: loss of much fanfic, the airing of old and current gripes, character attacks and defenses, bad feelings among some participants, and confusion among others. Sure, the site needed some changes–other TLW-related sites have done the same because traffic has slowed. If it had been my site, I probably would have done things differently, but it’s not, and what’s done is done.
Perception is often stronger than reality, and we will never know the complete story of what happened behind the scenes that led to this current situation. In light of the fallout from all this, perhaps Jacky would have done things differently–but it’s her site, her choice.
Premier members had an incorrect understanding of their input in light of the statement in the benefits, “Priority voting on future additions/changes to the site”. Comments lead me to believe this didn’t happen.
Also, it seems that mods were “fired” from volunteer positions that some took very seriously while others were largely MIA. However puzzling it seems on the surface by those of us who are merely participants, that’s the ebb and flow of any site. At one point I was asked to be a mod here, but I declined, wanting to just enjoy being a participant. At times like these, I am glad I made that decision!
Change always is hard, and this is the biggest upheaval I’ve witnessed on the site. As I said in an earlier post, let’s see how it all shakes out. Right now, though, it’s not looking promising, and it makes me sad. A site that has brought so many together has become very divided over personnel changes, fanfic awards, and bits and pieces of information that will never complete the puzzle for those of us who weren’t involved or didn’t witness the issues brought out in the midst of this.
Yes, it’s “only” fanfic, and TLW was “just” a TV show, but responses have been so passionate because the stories and the site are clearly as precious as life blood for many participants who had no sense of community previously. Women and men from diverse backgrounds were able to connect and share, all because of a TV show! Of course, that hasn’t really changed, but I fear things will never quite be the same around here.
I agree with arkaycee that the site will never be the same. We lost a number of great authors and no doubt some readers due to this sudden change. In many ways, neither the authors or readers lost a thing because word travels fast. The authors who left are posting elsewhere and word of mouth has allowed their readers to find them and continue to enjoy their stories and the authors will continue to have their readership and support.
In the end, the site itself has suffered a significant, unrecoverable blow. Regardless of recruiting old writers to add new stories under their usual username or posting them under a new name so it appears there are new writers, adding twitter, or creating a new design; nothing can change the feeling that this isn’t the home it once was and it never will be. You can give something a face lift, but it doesn’t change what is on the inside – just a superficial appearance.
Nice I get banned but now I receive e-mail